I’ve been thinking about this for months and months now, and I might decide to give Final Fantasy a go and try to immerse myself into the FF series, possibly this year. I don’t know where to start really or know much about the franchise so I decided to make this thread asking some questions for the fans; to hear their thoughts on this longstanding and highly acclaimed franchise in the gaming industry
-What are your favorite Final Fantasy games? What are the 3-5 games on your list?
-Which would you say had the best characters, side quests, story?
-FF game with the best boss fights?
I grew up around JRPGs and Final Fantasy has always been a special franchise for me. Even the generally accepted "bad" games I can find enjoyment out of. They definitely aren't for everyone and the developers tend to try new things often, alienating some of the longer term fans. I can understand why some fans are annoyed by this, but personally I don't get too involved and just want to enjoy some over the top action/story/gameplay.
My favorite Final Fantasy games are hard to pick out outside of one: Final Fantasy IX. Its characters are memorable. Its touching moments brought me to tears, its music is something that I listen to on the regular, and its gameplay is fun, refined, and allows for a number of different personal challenges depending on how you are utilizing its abilities mechanic. FFIX has the best story for me and as much as I would love to go into detail on why and how the sidequests perfectly weave into the greater narrative, I don't want to spoil a thing. This is a game I really think you should go in as blind as possible and just take your time with.
This is a tie between 3 games and 3 different styles of combat. Final Fantasy X had a fantastic series of bosses that felt like mini puzzles. It took what previous games did, but evolved it. Focusing on micromanaging certain limbs or environmental parts to minimize damage and maximize efficiency while also doing the typical buffing, debuffing, etc. It is the quintessential boss battles for the turn-based style gameplay. FFXIV just has some super tightly designed bosses, especially for anyone who is willing to delve into the ultimates. Long, arduous, and great skill is required to beat them. Personally many of these bosses rival that of WoW who has been the longstanding king in raid boss design for nearly two decades now. Finally FF7R has fun and fantastical real time boss battles that actually were far more challenging than I initially gave it credit for. Play it on Hard when you beat the game and you will see a new layer to how the combat works.
Final Fantasy VIII is one that I think is incredibly underrated and could have been much stronger with a better translation in the west. The story is one of trying to let people in, accept the reality of today, and not let the past control you all while weaving a touching love story and a coming of age tale that genuinely feels... well... genuine. At least with the original japanese script. Lots of nuance was lost when translating to the west so characters like Squall come across as one note and edgelordy to the extreme. Some plot holes exist in both translations however and it definitely needed more time in the oven. Out of any game in the franchise, this is one I want remade the most. Fix the issues, and give us the story that was meant to be told.
My first final fantasy game was Final Fantasy II on the SNES, which is not my favorite. My favorite is Final Fantasy IX, which also happens to be the perfect example of what Final Fantasy is about for me. A series of unlikely heroes working together to stop a villain while learning more about themselves, their flaws, and how to overcome them. FFIX in particular is a love letter to the franchise with a poignant story that can be interpreted towards the franchise as a whole. It is one I would suggest more than any other to not skip.
I won't go too in-depth on these due to spoilers of the games, but my favorite Protagonists in no particular order: Vivi [IX], Squall [VIII] (japanese original), Terra [VI], Locke [VI], Basch [XII], and Ryne [XIV: Shadowbringers]. Favorite Antagonists in no particular order: Kefka [VI], Kuja [IX], Emet-Selch [XIV: Shadowbringers], Ardyn [XV], and a special mention to both protags and antags from Tactics.
I feel that the MMOs offer the best items and exploration as they were constantly shifting and changing depending on the content added over time and the story that was ongoing. Starting in Limsa Lominsa and slowly working my way to Mor Dhona, learning about the religious elves in the frozen north, the mechanical empire sweeping across countries, and eventually getting to see them first hand was fantastic. Each zone had secrets, references, and easter eggs to older games or from earlier on in the story itself.
The music in the games are incredible and honestly the hardest thing to really scrutinize. My personal favorite is FInal Fantasy IX's with its wide range of influences and fantastical elements, but XIV has given me some excellent remixes and rocking boss tunes, VIII and VI have given me songs that feel like they came right out of an opera, and I still listen to the chiptunes of the NES for how ear wormy the melodies are. Really give any of them a listen and you won't be disappointed.
I would say that most of the Final Fantasy games focus seem to be based around that of the story and characters. If you want less story and more gameplay, then Final Fantasy I, II, III, V, and to a lesser extent, IV, XI, XIV, and XV seem to be your best bets. The rest are very much story/character focused affairs, though each still has a lot of gameplay and optional challenge should you seek it (Secret Bosses, mini games, challenges, etc). IV, XI, XIV, and XV all have a good bit of story in them, but the majority of the time is focused around the gameplay.
For me, it is the best RPG series - however it all comes down to personal taste. Some consider Dragon Quest to be a better franchise, some prefer the Mana or Saga series. Each and every one of them are completely valid for this spot and that is why I love discussing games - always fun to learn what people love/dislike/hate about certain games!
I don't eat toast so I wouldn't know, sorry!