Help me resolve my deep-seated Final Fantasy problems

[thebackupfreak]

Okay, I have something to admit. I've never played Final Fantasy. Not one. Not ever. At all. It's not for a lack of interest, on the contrary; I want to be involved in what look to be games that offer some of the industry's best, but (and here's the hard part) I just don't understand them.

I'm not deliberately adverse to trying new things because that would just be sad, but I live on a small income where I have only a certain amount of time to dedicate to gaming. I don't know where to start! There are more than a dozen of them (I think?), but they don't go in chronological order - I can't tell if they go on in the same universe. I can't tell if plot carries on from one to another. So I suppose, what I'm asking for from a veteran corp of people familiar with these games is where to start, what to enjoy, what to avoid, and with what attitude I should approach playing them.

 

[Flying Dagger]

I have the same problem, I should probably try picking up a copy of final fantasy on my ps2.
Though most of the case i'm infected with a large case of the cannot be assed.

 

[Daveman]

I've never played through, or attempted to play through a final fantasy game.


I have a life.

a tad harsh perhaps

I never played them because... I don't really know. None of my friends ever played them and I usually go off personal recommendations for games. Plus, you watch a trailer for a FF game and it tells you NOTHING.

 

[dududf]

I've never played through, or attempted to play through a final fantasy game.
I have a life.

So if you happen to like a particular game... You have no life?

Uh Huh...

 

[reg42]

I've never played through, or attempted to play through a final fantasy game.


I have a life.

Oh wow, sooo funny

OT: The Final Fantasy's aren't that long if you skip out a bunch of the pointless side quests. If I had to offer a good starting point, I'd say VII or IX, as they're very accessible. VII is clearly the more popular one, so you may want to start off with that.

 

[Axeli]

They have practically nothing to do with each other that would prevent you from starting the series wherever you please. Even simple self-references are relatively rare.

Every FF is in its own universe. The only exception is when they have the same roman numeral in the title.

 

[Axeli]

I've never played through, or attempted to play through a final fantasy game.


I have a life.

Oh wow, sooo funny

OT: The Final Fantasy's aren't that long if you skip out a bunch of the pointless side quests. If I had to offer a good starting point, I'd say VII or IX, as they're very accessible. VII is clearly the more popular one, so you may want to start off with that.

VII has aged pretty horrible though, so you need to be somewhat forgiving towards its graphics and writing.

 

[Hazy]

Each Final Fantasy is an independent game (Save for a few,) so you can start wherever you wish.

I started with VI, which is phenomenal, and can be found on the SNES or PS1 port.
So long as you can tolerate a pretty steep difficulty and turn-based combat/random encounters, you are in for one of the greatest treats in RPG history.

I've never played through, or attempted to play through a final fantasy game.


I have a life.

Oh ho ho, cheap shot.

 

[A BigCup of Tea]

Okay, I have something to admit. I've never played Final Fantasy. Not one. Not ever. At all. It's not for a lack of interest, on the contrary; I want to be involved in what look to be games that offer some of the industry's best, but (and here's the hard part) I just don't understand them.

I'm not deliberately adverse to trying new things because that would just be sad, but I live on a small income where I have only a certain amount of time to dedicate to gaming. I don't know where to start! There are more than a dozen of them (I think?), but they don't go in chronological order - I can't tell if they go on in the same universe. I can't tell if plot carries on from one to another. So I suppose, what I'm asking for from a veteran corp of people familiar with these games is where to start, what to enjoy, what to avoid, and with what attitude I should approach playing them.

none of the FF's take place in the same universe as far as i can tell (apart from X-2) There is a different plot each time aswell. All FF's are good but as with any series there are some better than others. If you dont have alot of time to game then im not sure if FF is for you as it take some time to get into a game and really start to enjoy it, but it all depends on how little time you have?

 

[LeonLethality]

They are all different, none really relate to one another (aside from spin offs in the same world or direct sequels) but I would recommend you start with FFIV one of the best stories in the series, it is easy enough for beginners and it is really fun.

Also don't get the awful DS remake of IV it needlessly changed all the game mechanics that made the original great. and don't play the GBA port of it as it is really crappy, if you can find Final Fantasy II on the SNES that would be your best bet (FFII on the SNES is actually FFIV <.<) or play the PS1 version if you don't mind a bit of load times, hell it just came up on virtual console under the FFII title so if you have a wii get it from there.

DO NOT start with VII I can't stress this enough.

 

[Phoenixlight]

Just play a different game.

 

[Jaranja]

I've never played through, or attempted to play through a final fantasy game.


I have a life.

Not if you say something like that you won't, not for long anyway. *sharpens hammer*[sub]... wait...[/sub]

Start with FFX. It's got a nice story, likable characters[footnote] Except the protagonist, obviously[/footnote] and is quite fun. The turn-based combat is usually what annoys people about FF games. If you're not a fan of chess, I'd recommend FFXIII or FFX-2 to start with.

Just don't play FFXII, it's horrible.

 

[ffxfriek]

Start with 7-9 anyone. Then if you own a DS you can pick up the copys of say 3 and i believe 2 and 4 as well and play them there etc. FFX was pretty good.

 

[dududf]

Gamers are like christians, so fun to piss off .

Oh! I see what you're doing! You're trolling FF fans.

*hits report button*
80 hours my ass, ff10 (only final fantasy I liked) was like 10 hours IF that. And I spread it over 1 day a week intervals.

 

[Dakeyras-Way]

I've never played through, or attempted to play through a final fantasy game.


I have a life.

Not if you say something like that you won't, not for long anyway. *sharpens hammer*[sub]... wait...[/sub]

Start with FFX. It's got a nice story, likable characters[footnote] Except the protagonist, obviously[/footnote] and is quite fun. The turn-based combat is usually what annoys people about FF games. If you're not a fan of chess, I'd recommend FFXIII or FFX-2 to start with.

Just don't play FFXII, it's horrible.

Lol while I agree that XII isnt the best your saying that X-2 is... X-2 was terrible!!

 

[Axeli]

You guys are so funny!

I said that for 2 reasons:

1. I don't have the time to just drop 80 hours each on a series of 13 (or something like that) games. It's just a waste of time.

2. I'm not the kind of person who would actually get into that kind of game; ie greasy weeaboo who lives in his moms basement and collects action figures.

-----------------------

Gamers are like christians, so fun to piss off.

How about everyone just ignores this guy until the mods sort it out?

 

[Heart of Darkness]

Play Final Fantasy IV, preferably as II on the SNES. If not, go for the DS version, but excuse the horrible voice-acting.

Avoid FFIII at all costs, though. It's the epitome of 'crap.' The pain...

 

[Jaranja]

I've never played through, or attempted to play through a final fantasy game.


I have a life.

Not if you say something like that you won't, not for long anyway. *sharpens hammer*[sub]... wait...[/sub]

Start with FFX. It's got a nice story, likable characters[footnote] Except the protagonist, obviously[/footnote] and is quite fun. The turn-based combat is usually what annoys people about FF games. If you're not a fan of chess, I'd recommend FFXIII or FFX-2 to start with.

Just don't play FFXII, it's horrible.

Lol while I agree that XII isnt the best your saying that X-2 is... X-2 was terrible!!

How was it terrible, might I ask?

It screwed up the story, yeah.

Give me another reason.

 

[UltraParanoia]

I never finished 7 or 8 cause my ps1 took a shit on me and the discs didn't work in any of my ps2s.

10 was okay if you didn't mind wanting to kill like half of the characters for being annoying, 10-2 was crap, but it was mildly amusing at times.

12 was fairly decent.

Roman numerals can kiss my ass.