Quick rundown of FF games
1) The first one I played, and one of the first 3 games I ever played (others were Mario1 and Zelda1) Essentially my first RPG ever, and I still really like the game for what it is. Very simple, classic gameplay, challenging (original version), and pre-internet difficult to finish at times. Basic plot, and you are the characters.
2) First played it with FF1 port on PS1. Little more plot than the first. Supporting Characters are more interesting than the main 4. Villian actually has a bigger role than the first. Combat system rewards you for beating yourself in the head repeatedly.
3) Played it on DS. Copy paste everything from FF1 minus the charm, adding a job system that sucks, and you fight some dark cloud of evil or something. YAWN
4) This holds a place in my heart that I suppose those a couple years younger have for FF7. The plot is engaging. There are actual twists which were novel at the time. All the characters were cool, and so were the villians. Full of little secrets and tricks, and difficult. The lunar subterrain is pretty much hell, with optional uberbosses as icing on top. You had characters die, and cared about them. Even if only two stayed that way.
5) Played on PS1 after 7,8, and 9. Interesting plot, much nore light hearted (i.e fewer causualties) and some funny moments. Good job system with some pretty interesting potential combos....that mean nothing at the end when you just spam Gil toss and dual cast. Nothing special.
6) Played after ff4, because in the US its FF3 not 6. I love everything about this game. Easily my favorite RPG ever...or possibly tied with Chrono Trigger. Anyone that loves FF7 and plays this game for the first time should at least appreciate the amount of detail that went into it even if they hate it. I love the music. Even today it still sounds good (to me) when compared to fully orchestrated stuff. And if you have ever heard the Black Mages perform stuff from FF6 WITH a full orchestra its even better. I'm a huge Amano fan, and his art style is more present in this game than in earlier ones. The cast is a bit larger than your average FF game, and some like Umaro and Gogo have nothing to do with the plot, but you end up like them anyways. Arguably this is the only real flaw in the game. Since in theory you only need 3 characters to finish the game, you may argue that development would be rather shallow. Since I'm a fan, I can't really argue the point too well. I do know that Kefka is the greatest, funniest, jokerlike villan we will ever probably see in a FF game. Or RPGs in general. Plot is excellant, and the ending isn't really all that happy. The villan kinda wins halfaway through the game. Which is more than Sephiroth ever acompolished.
7) Looks like ass. Low low polygon counts. Clipping issues. Shitty translation with numerous errors. Graphics aside though, I hate the characters. Yes even Vincent, and especially Cait Sith and Cid. Red 13 and Yuffie were cool though. The villans were boring. Sephiroth has mommy issues. The plot took 2 playthroughs for me to get that Sephiroth was a clone of himself, and Cloud was a clone of Zack kinda. Perhaps the long and needlessly complicated "dress cloud up like a whore" minigame soured my opinion early on. But I went on to kill emerald and ruby and get my gold chocobo and KotR because at the time I fooled myself that I liked it. It was the entire reason I got a PS1 inthe first place and it cost a lot of money for me at the time. Advent Children and Dirge of Cerberus redeemed the cast in my eyes completely though.
8)Initially I hated the Junction system. Love the cast, especially Zell and Quistis. So I use them and Squall through as much as possible. Blue mages are may favs. If they happen to use a whip, wear glasses, and dress like a dominatrix/schoolteacher then...what was I talking about. The plot is great, and the parts with Laguna are very cool. The opening and ending movies are some of the best in the series. And despite the final boss coming from nowhere Seifer is the best villian of the PS1 trilogy. After playing 8 I realized just how much I really hated 7. The card minigame rocked.
9) Except for Vivi, Steiner, and Beatrix the cast sucked. I used Freya and Amarant whenever possible. Plot was okay. Villans actually made me want Sephiroth back. Summons were cool. Card minigame sucked, in no small part due to them not telling you the rules.
10) Good game. Decent plot. Likable cast. Used Lulu, Rikku, and Auron exclusivley. Would have used Khimari if he wasn't a lesser version of any other character. First in the series I didn't buy. Since this means I beat it in 2 rentals, you can probably tell just how linear it is. I did buy X-2 though and really liked it for th emost part. Great job system. Less linear since you can fly at the beginning. More interesting antagonists. Prefer Lulu to Paine overwhelmingly though.
11) never gonna play
12) Awesome. Beautiful. Different battle system, but works. Plot worthy of FF tactics. Great art style, intersting take on old monsters. Lots of new ones. Excellant cast, that actually contribute to the plot and get reasons for their actions. Insane optional bosses I'll never beat. Wish there was more back story with Fran and Balthier
13) So far I really hate the battle theme, but the characters seem interesting. Don't know a thing about the story an dplan to keep it that way if possible.
