9 was the only Final Fantasy game I ever felt worth my time getting a good distance into... haven't gotten around to #8 yet, 7 just felt too damn depressing for like 90% of the playtime (I don't care if your bloody fucking planet is dying, put a smile on while you dispatch the bastards that are responsible for it, damnit!), and the others before it were rather short... Not to mention the battle system BARELY changes after #3 until the humpnut that is FFX
Anyhow, did anyone play Parasite Eve or Persona 2: Eternal Punishment? (granted, the latter one was only half the story, and PE was rather hilariously campy in it's presentation, but still damn good) I list both of those as classics.