Tactical Pause said:
Thanks for the replies everyone, you've been a big help.
I think I'll start with 6, and work my way up from there (probably skipping 8). Is there any particular place in that order where Tactics should go? Or can I just sort of fit it in wherever.
OH!
Yea. Final Fantasy games aren't actually a series. They're mostly unrelated.
The Final Fantasy games can be broken down into a number of unrelated series.
Initially none of the Final Fantasy games were related at all, and mostly they're still unrelated, but nowadays some of the games have actually generated direct sequels or at least games set in the same world.
There's a whole Final Fantasy VII series which all have "Final Fantasy VII" in the name - they share a universe, and the Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles series which all have "Crystal Chronicles" in the name - they share a universe.
But then there's also the Ivalice Alliance series of games which has no consistent naming system. They all share a universe despite not being named to indicate it, and one of them isn't even a Final Fantasy game.
IVALICE ALLIANCE:
Final Fantasy Tactics/Final Fantasy Tactics:War Of The Lions
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift
Final Fantasy XII/Final Fantasy XII:International Zodiac Job System
Final Fantasy XII:Revenant Wings
Vagrant Story (not even a Final Fantasy game)
Crystal Defenders
Final Fantasy Tactics S
Fortress (codename for a recently cancelled Ivalice Alliance game)
Final Fantasy X and FFX-2 are the only games in their universe.
I think there are now 3 games in the Final Fantasy XIII series.
Final Fantasy is a mess
.
As said, Final Fantasy Tactics (specifically the "War Of The Lions" revision/enhancement of it) is easily the best Final Fantasy game.
But if you're looking for the starting point of a whole series, just be aware that you have to go figure out which games actually ARE a series.