Final Fantasy

[coldfrog]

Tactics has always been my favorite of them all. I liked 7 back when I played it but that was a LOONG time ago and i can't compare it really. I played 8 and 10, and 8 bored me after a while because I got way too into the card game and never played the real game, then when it came time to I just didn't care. 10 was decent but I think I had just started to get tired of the formula and I didn't feel like they were reaching to many new area. And the remake of 3 (the japanese 3) for the DS was very disappointing to me. I didn't finish it and I probably never will.

Right now I'm in the middle of 12. Well, OK, the beginning of 12. I played it only because the story was said to be written by the guys who did the Tactics story, but some of the gameplay in the beginning is rather slow. Though it might be better when I have more characters in my party, because I do like several of the ideas they've put forth. I'm holding out judgment until I've played more though because there are so many ideas I like in here.

 

[Calax]

I don't think there is anyone who likes final fantasy but doesn't like 7 unless they just want to be different or hop on the flame wagon.

I do enjoy a good Final Fantasy game from time to time, but, for whatever reason, I simply did not enjoy Final Fantasy VII. I can't really explain why, to be honest; the first one I ever played was VIII, and I fell in love with it right away. But I played VII right after, and it just seemed to pale in comparison. I'm not sure why, but I just couldn't get into it the same way.

I absolutely adored IX, and X is a beast (in the best way possible), but VIII has always been my favorite. XII... was interesting. I started playing it for a friend of mine, who had never played an FF game before (silly boy didn't know Esuna cures all status ailments!), and ended up beating it, but it was a trial in patience.

But yeah. To me, VIII > VII. Please feel free to beat me to a pulp for saying such obvious blasphemy, but VII just wasn't my thing.

Don't worry, your not alone. I played 7 first, and I really don't like it that much. Cloud is and Vincent have about as much character development as a Brick, and Sephiroth... was un-inspiring. His music was fantastic, but the Sephiroth himself was a rather dull villain. Hojo was better than Seph. And Barret probably had more character than Cloud.

I think that most people either liked VIII or VII (at least that's how it usually falls in most arguments I've seen on various boards).

That said, I think alot of the reason Cloud's character doesn't move is because he literally doesn't even know who he is. Sephiroth meanwhile had a lot more character to me than some random witch that appeared from the neather for the final boss fight. I think alot of the reason I like Sephiroth is because I actually feel sorry for him, I mean after all everything he was told prior the the incident at Nebelheim was a lie, and that unbalanced him to the point where he wanted to become God to get revenge. At least that's my take on it.

 

[Fantastico]

I hate it, I guess. I've only played about 6 games out of the whole series, but so far I've only enjoyed 3 of them - FF1, FF4, and FFX. FF6 was just plain dull, FF3 was downright mediocre, and FF12 was one of the worst games I've ever played. I'd have to say that the original game was the best in the entire series, after all, it was the only one I've played so far that hasn't forced me to sit through excessively long dialogue sequences about a story that I don't give a shat about. To be honest, I wasn't even particularly enthralled with the ones I did like. I just don't get this series, I suppose. I much prefer games like Breath of Fire, Kingdom Hearts, and Dragon Quest Monster(Not the main Dragon Quest series of course, those ones are horrible) over any one of them. I'm certainly not looking forward to FFXIII and Dissidia, and not just because of my usual pessimism towards all of Square-Enix's games.

Still, as much as I hate it, I'm still not going to give up on it just yet, since I still haven't tried every game in the series, and FF2, FF5, and FFX-2 both look better than the all the other games I've played. I'll probably continue to avoid the PSOne entries like the plague, though, since FFX has reminded me why I didn't get into RPGs before the invention of the scene-skip option.

 

[Sewblon]

I like them but Disgaea and Valkyria Chronicles are both better.

 

[Squarewave]

I used to love Final Fantasy, now im just sorta 'meh' about it. I really liked 6-7-9-10, somewhat liked 1-4-10^2. Even tho I spent an ungodly amount of time playing FFXI I don't think of it as a final fantasy game.

I tried to like 12, but it just seemed too much like a MMO, and not in a good way it, it felt like i was a gold seller controlling bots in a mmo, then playing a game.

Right now I'm replaying FF8, I hated it when it came out and never finished it, trying again only using the junction system rather then casting summons non stop like when I played it the first time.

FF games havn't stood the test of time with me however. I tried to play FF7 the other day and it felt.. off... like I was trying to watch an old movie while pretending I didn't know what was going to happen next. Just can't recapture the experience

 

[Lukeje]

Final Fantasy 2 US (FFVI Japan) was the first to engage me like that

Pssst.. FF 2 US is FF IV in Japan, and 3 US is Japanese VI. Ok, that's all I wanted to say. Back at it.

FF1 US is FF IV Japan... (then FF 2 is V, and FF3 is VI; then FF 7 is VII).

 

[Syntax Error]

Final Fantasy 2 US (FFVI Japan) was the first to engage me like that

Pssst.. FF 2 US is FF IV in Japan, and 3 US is Japanese VI. Ok, that's all I wanted to say. Back at it.

FF1 US is FF IV Japan... (then FF 2 is V, and FF3 is VI; then FF 7 is VII).

I'm pretty sure FFI in Japan is FFI in the US. FFII in the US is FFIV in Japan and FFIII in the US is FFVI. So as to not confuse the NA gamers, since not all FF games went overseas at the time.

 

[Lukeje]

Final Fantasy 2 US (FFVI Japan) was the first to engage me like that

Pssst.. FF 2 US is FF IV in Japan, and 3 US is Japanese VI. Ok, that's all I wanted to say. Back at it.

FF1 US is FF IV Japan... (then FF 2 is V, and FF3 is VI; then FF 7 is VII).

I'm pretty sure FFI in Japan is FFI in the US. FFII in the US is FFIV in Japan and FFIII in the US is FFVI. So as to not confuse the NA gamers, since not all FF games went overseas at the time.

Uch; just looked at a wiki of the numbers. How in hell was that supposed to simplify things?! But yeah, apparently you're right.

 

[runtheplacered]

Final Fantasy 2 US (FFVI Japan) was the first to engage me like that

Pssst.. FF 2 US is FF IV in Japan, and 3 US is Japanese VI. Ok, that's all I wanted to say. Back at it.

FF1 US is FF IV Japan... (then FF 2 is V, and FF3 is VI; then FF 7 is VII).

I'm pretty sure FFI in Japan is FFI in the US. FFII in the US is FFIV in Japan and FFIII in the US is FFVI. So as to not confuse the NA gamers, since not all FF games went overseas at the time.

Uch; just looked at a wiki of the numbers. How in hell was that supposed to simplify things?! But yeah, apparently you're right.

At the time it made sense. Hell, when Final Fantasy II was released in the US, I wasn't even aware of a Final Fantasy 2 and 3 in Japan. So it made sense to me that the next Final Fantasy I get to play be called 2, despite the fact that there were in fact others before it in another language. If they all of a sudden went from part 1 to part 4, I would have been confused.

Now, almost 2 decades later it's all confusing, since the US now gets every iteration of Final Fantasy in the correct order, since part 7. So, now it's confusing, but as a child it made sense.

 

[Dele]

Played all of them from I to chrystal chronicles to tactics to mana series. I lost my interest after XI and XII since neither of them are Final Fantasyish enough, seemed like a whole different series. XIII might redeem the series but I aint coming back anymore.

 

[Calax]

Right now I'm replaying FF8, I hated it when it came out and never finished it, trying again only using the junction system rather then casting summons non stop like when I played it the first time.

FF games havn't stood the test of time with me however. I tried to play FF7 the other day and it felt.. off... like I was trying to watch an old movie while pretending I didn't know what was going to happen next. Just can't recapture the experience

Playing 7 on my pc was a terrible choice. The speed that the game moved at compared to how it SHOULD have moved was insane. (the scene where you're shown barret loosing his arm was the obvious point. Literally the models of the characters had finished the scene half way through the movie playing behind them)

 

[Flour]

I like them. I've only ever completed 7, but I'm in the middle of 8. Afraid I'm one of those people who will praise 7 'til the end of time. I don't think there is anyone who likes final fantasy but doesn't like 7 unless they just want to be different or hop on the flame wagon.

Don't generalize. I never really liked 7 or 8, but I love 9.(still finished 7 twice, and I can't be bothered to complete the first 'quest' in 8)
Main reason is because I prefer this [http://www.xmwallpapers.com/wallpaper/games/final%20fantasy/images/Final%20Fantasy%20IX%20%20Bahamut%20vs%20Alexandre.jpg] over this [http://www.iogc.net/images/iogc/Final%20Fantasy%207%20Advent%20Children1.jpg].(both art style and because FF9 is a "Medieval Europe" fantasy game)

Spoiler: I'll just quote the FF9 character/plot description from TvTropes because it explains why I prefer it over FF7 or 8

The story focused on the characters' efforts at self-discovery. Vivi must learn what he is and why he exists, as well as what this means for his life. Zidane must learn what he is, and how this has to do with the Man Behind The Man, Kuja, and even with his friend Vivi. Garnet must learn the truth about her mother, her own origins, and the nature of the eidolons that are her birthright. Steiner must learn what honor and duty truly mean, when those he is loyal to stand opposed to one another, and his loyalty may be invoked to betray itself.

Freya must learn what's truly important in life, and what it means to lose a loved one, and most of all, how and why to go on fighting. Quina must learn about being a true gourmand, by sampling flavors from all over the world. Eiko must learn that nakama is more than just grabbing who you want for yourself, and being on the losing end of a love triangle won't mean she has to be alone again. Amarant must learn that the might to win is not so simple a thing as to be measured by mere strength, that even the ability to crush one's foes leaves much to be desired when one can't even catch them, and that the most elusive power of all is a thing he may never even understand.

I don't consider any FF game after 9 to be a true FF game, they changed it too much. Before FF10, I could look at a screenshot and I'd know if it was a FF game, now all I see is "some jRPG".

 

[FluxC]

Some people maintain that VI is the best one. Myself? I give that award to X. It's the one I have played through the most, and the one that I found hard to put down. X-2 is branded with being a slumber party. And, although I didn't like it, there is actually nothing wrong with the game, in my opinion.

VII is the source of so many arguments. And to be fair, there are a huge number of Fanboys out there, most of which are still hoping for a remake. I liked the game. And I'll defend it against anyone who tries to slam it. Usually, the people who try to slam it are bored trolls or idiots with no real desire to argue, just to post flamebait. Anyway, as for a remake? I'd prefer if they concentrated on XIII and let VII die with Crisis Core. There is only so much you can beat a dead horse.

I am a fan of the Final Fantasy series. But i have started to feel tired with them. People say they are full of replay value, But i fail to see it in most of them. Each side-quest has been done before, and it's never really worth it. X's Monster Arena and XII's Hell Wyrm quests aside.

I would have made this post longer, as I can talk for hours about the series, but i'm busy and get the strange feeling that nobody actually cares.

 

[-Seraph-]

I love Final Fantasy and I find their stories absolutely wonderful despite what others may think. My favorite is actually a close tie between FF6 and FF7, both were just spectacular pieces of story telling and design. FF6 had a kick ass story, villain, and game play that was rock solid. FF7 had all that and had a wonderful villain, which in my books was JENOVA. Sephiroth was a tragic villain once you actually get deep into his story and was nothing but a pawn in JENOVA's scheme, she was the true threat in 7 and always will be for me.

That's an interesting take on it! For me, I always thought once Sephiroth went mad from the misinformation he took in on account of Gast's reports, he became incredibly powerful. Nomura's stated somewhere that Sephiroth's true power may never be known. He overpowered Jenova and used her and through the sheer strength of his will, assimilated her powers and used her limbs as he did. Even in AC, because of how strong his will to do what he planned to be a God, it split into three forms (Kadaj, Loz and Yazoo) and he will never truly disappear (like Lucrecia in the Crystal Cave). But I do agree that his story is tragic .. he was the perfect soldier, but that nagging feeling of his origins, (nudged along by Genesis) sent him spiralling into that madness he never came back from.

/end geek talk

Well since your one of the few people who has ever really shown an interest in my theory I shall elaborate since this topic is FF, might as well talk about anything related to it.

You see I saw JENOVA as the true threat because although many have stated that Sephiroth overpowerd JENOVA, I find that to be partially true. It was in fact a combination of both of them, Sephiroth and JENOVA both maniplulated each other and pretty much became one being, one entity. Sephiroth went mad after finding out his origins and decided to take his "Mother" to the promised land, that we know and that we know for sure was sephiroths doing. Now remember the reunion theory? thats JENOVA's doing as all parts of JENOVA's have the desire to lead back to one another to make JENOVA whole again. The combination of Sephiroths madness and his proximity to JENOVA led the two to come together and begin their struggle to control eachother. After sephiroth was thrown into the lifestream along with her head they became more linked to one another. Now we know that you never truely confront sephiroth until the end where you fight him in the life stream, the entire game you are fighting his manifestations which are parts of JENOVA or"Clones" of him, and they are al governed by the reunion theory to lead back to sephiroth and JENOVA and become one being once again.

Now for the real kick, JENOVA's true nature plays into all of this and it is that which makes me see JENOVA as the true villian and threat throughout the game, with sephiroth as nothing but a tool, a very powerful tool. JENOVA is nothing more than a virus that manifests itself in the form of other things, the Infalna reports at the icicle inn state this. Ifalna state's how "it" took the shape of their fallen comrads and began to infect and turn people mad. She (like this alian from the movie "The thing") pretty much mimics that which she consumes or assimilates. Sephiroth was pretty much infected by her from birth as he was born with these cells inside him. When he got close to her it triggered something, yes the shock of his irigins would leave him pissed off, but sephirotalways had a great sense of dignity that what he did. JENOVA can control anyone or thing that contains her cells and she uses sephiroth to control cloud and the clones. When the two joined the lifestream she took over sephiroths mind as he would have been overcome with mako poisoning leaving his mind as weak and frail as clouds was. So the two became partially augmented and since JENOVA is nothing more than a mimic, she became sephiroth herself and took on his persona. Now a bit of sephiroth himself could have lived on isnide of her but for the most part she was controlling him and a subtle way as her very nature to to infect and destroy. So using sephiroth she had him control cloud and the clones, and the whole nine yards. The whole time sephiroth has been infected by her and his will was influenced by that of JENOVA.

Now at the end of the game you kill whats left of her (her head), and then you fight sephy himself who has recovered from fatal injuries most likely due to the lifestream. Then you fight his angelic form, this to me looks like a clear sign of the two of them becoming one being, one entity. Sephiroths mind lives on in JENOVA's cells and JENVOA has every trait of sephiroths and is him. All of JENOVA's body has been destroyed BUT what remaining cells are left are within spehiroths body. She can never truely die, nor can sephiroth as long as even a small fraction of them remains. You destroy them in 7, and AC they both come back as some of her remnants were left, and those remnants still contians sephiroths will which has also become JENOVA's. Sephroth is nothing more than a puppet himself just as cloud was to sephiroth. Sephiroth was infected with JENOVA's cells and was over time consumed and assmillated by her. So the fusion of the two became to terrifying force that desired to absorbe the lifestream and destroy everything.

So yea this is why I saw JENOVA as the true villain as she was the catalyst for everything and all actions (for me that is) point dirtectly back to her very nature and being. Sorry if some of it may not make much sense of is a tad confusing, I'm still waking up as it's only 9am here lol. Also it's really hard for me to articulate this theaory, it's also easier to explain through real vocal conversation than written for me but yea...thats my theory on the crisis in 7 so excuse the long post and what may be a tad confusing read lol.

/end geek talk

 

[damion559]

I myself could never get in to them.

how can you not like them? there brilliant expetialy ff8 and then 12 then 7 then 3 then 9 then 4....... see you got me that mad ive started rambling my favourates

 

[-Seraph-]

I myself could never get in to them.

how can you not like them? there brilliant expetialy ff8 and then 12 then 7 then 3 then 9 then 4....... see you got me that mad ive started rambling my favourates

Well you gotta respect his opinion. It's understandable if people can't "get into them" it's when they start saying flame bait like "well I think they suck blah blah blah" is when things tend to get bad. i'm pretty surprised this thread has not been flamed yet after 3 pages...Final Fantasy has always been on of those hot topics that attracts trolls.

 

[-Seraph-]

Never had a chance. Never had a console/access to them when I wanted it. Is there a Wii game? I might get FF: Tactics from the GCN for the heck of it, since it'll play on my Wii

*cough* emulator *cough*

 

[Mumpadump]

I've never liked the Final Fantasy series. I tried to play several of them, but I could never get into it because the story was jut so complex and confusing.