Top 5 Friday: Top 5 Final Fantasy Games

[The Great JT]

Yeah, stand back, junior, let the man show you how the Top 5 FF Games list should go:

5: Final Fantasy VIII (I admit, I'm not a fanatic and played every one of the games and I do have a lot to dislike about FF8, but I do think there's a lot to like. Fantastic graphics for the Playstation era, it was quite challenging, it had an expansive story that lasts a long time, cool summons, it's just the Drawing magic system annoyed me, the characters got on my nerves (especially Squall's emo crap and Selphie being pants-on-head insane) and the sudden plot turns often feeling like Deus Ex Machina.)
4: Final Fantasy I (The one that started it all. Yeah it's downright primitive by today's standards, but that's part of the charm.)
3: Final Fantasy VII (Aside from some minor plot and character annoyances (mostly coming from Cloud going through his emo phase) and the fact that people have greatly overblown Sephiroth's badass factor, VII's combat was solid, it had enjoyable characters, an interesting world and the materia system was relatively straightforward and not the think-you're-getting-customization of today's character kitting.)
2: Final Fantasy IX (To me, one of my major complaints about the more recent Final Fantasy games is that it was never set in stone what a one character could do, that everyone was a jack-of-all-trades. It was like rolling in with a party of bards in a D&D game. This is one of the reasons why I love FF9. Add in loveable characters (Squeenix, want to make a shitload of money? VIVI PLUSHIES. Search your feelings, you know it to be true!), the combat and ability-learning system was solid and the world, again, was fascinating.)
1: Final Fantasy VI (Best Final Fantasy Game ever. Great characters, great magic-learning system, great world, BEST VILLAIN IN FINAL FANTASY HISTORY. Screw the HD 7, let's see an HD re-up of this.

 

[johnnyLupine]

I'm both dissapointed and filled with seething RAGE because eight got a mention but nine was neglected. It's not that eight is a terrible game, I actually quite enjoy it when im in the mood, my main, perhaps only issue, is that for much of the begining of the game the main character is completely insufferable. It could just be me but it feels as though the character designers were just going through the motions when it came to Squall, ticking boxes on a checklist. I don't actually mind the magic system too much because its not difficult to keep on top of once you get going and having to check how useful various magics are for stats and the like is only a very minor nuisance.

Nine is a game with a decent story line, interesting characters, including the villan and whatever you would class Beatrix as. Not only that but I actually cared about the destruction that went on throughout the game, less so in recent playthroughs but surely there can only be so many times you can see something before it becomes routine. It tried to tackle big questions, is created life equal to that of someone born natually, Vivi's issues may perhaps even go as far as to ask wheather real artificial inteligance could be considered a form of life. I like that by the end of the game you as a player and probably even the hero come to understand how lucky the hero was for being able to live the life they had and it has some of the best music of the series as a whole.

 

[Professor James]

Who is that woman on the main page when you click this video?

 

[equalplatinum]

IMO

5 - ff10
4 - ff6
3 - ff9
2 - ff8
1 - ff7

 

[XavierPrice]

Now, Final Fantasy 9 is my personal favorite. I love the music, the characters (<3 Freya), and the battle system. However, on the whole, I don't disagree with this list. I wouldn't have ranked 7 quite as high, but it does deserve to be on the list purely because it did introduce Final Fantasy to a huge new audience and basically revitalize the JRPG in North America single handedly.

That said, yes. 6 deserves to be number 1. While not my personal favorite, it is still the best of the franchise to date. The largest roster of playable characters (Tactics doesn't count for this), yet almost all of them have a detailed story behind them. And while it had been done before, the way FF6 pulled the rug out from under you again and again was amazing. Main character's really a demon? Check. Think party members are dead? Check. Relationship between characters? Check. Surprise previous relationship with characters? Check. Blow up the world! Check!

For FF big bads, Kefka takes the cake. He sets out to become a god. AND DOES IT!
Sephiroth is just a brute with mother issues. He's anger and force with no real direction. He's no worse than a school yard bully, just with a big sword. All wrapped up in a girly man.
Even Kuja is a better villain than Sephy, because Kuja plays strategy for the whole game. You don't even see him until the end of the first act, and you only find out who he is and just how many strings he's pulling until mid-way through the second. AND HIS FINAL BATTLE THEME! Although Necron was kind of a bullshit final final end out of the blue. (Fan reason: True form of the Iifa tree demon.)

So my list, since everyone's doing that sort of thing:

5: FF 7 (For revitalizing the franchise and genre)
4: FF 4 (For bringing how to actually tell a story to FF)
3: FF Tactics (For being the lovechild of Final Fantasy, Tactics Ogre, and Fire Emblem)
2: FF 9 (For detailed characters, intricate story, and a combat system that worked superbly well. And the music!)
1: FF 6 (For being the best Final Fantasy at being Final Fantasy. Characters, System, Story, Bad Guys, Music, etc.)

 

[cerebreturns]

1-6
2-7
3-Tactics
4-4
5-9 or 10

The only final fantasy games I just hated were mystic quest, any of the sequels like 10 2, and 8 I feel was a just horrible game. Mechanically it was crap, the draw system was stupid, the story just wasn't very interesting or emotional to me & so on.

Even the gameboy games that had almost nothing in common (gameboy not gba) seemed better then 8 to me.

 

[Arcane Azmadi]

Interesting list. FF Tactics took me by surprise because I expected you were only doing main series games. I was also surprised -but pleased- to see you acknowledge FFVIII, which I think is one of the most underrated games in the series- it was radically experimental, but unlike FFII it didn't suck as a result. Most importantly, its setting and story were really the most unique in the series. I still hold the FFVIII setting up as one of the best fantasy gameworlds ever created.

I think the post-VIII games can get a bit of a bad rap as well. I actually think IX is somewhat overrated- as a retro throwback to the earlier games of the series it was an excellent and well-polished game, but it lacks the "oomph" to really stand out as more than a very solid JRPG. X was a revelation for the new generation on the PS2, much like FFVII was on the PS1, but I REALLY think it's poor FFXII that has received the most bad press. Some people have called it the worst FF of all, while others have lauded it as almost perfect. I haven't finished it yet (so sue me, I have a JRPG backlog a hundred games long), but I think it's pretty amazing. XIII on the other hand is a pretentious, gameplay-deficient mess which SquareEnix should be ashamed of. As Yahtzee put it, it's a game that makes itself perfectly clear that it doesn't want you to play it. If Squeenix ever get past making unwanted spin-offs to it, hopefully FFXV will actually be willing to settle for being a really great GAME.

Oh and I STILL insist that FFXI should never have been called FFXI. It screwed up the series numbering. It should have been Final Fantasy Online, XII should have been XI, XIII should have been XII and XIV should have been FF Online II. They weren't willing to make FF Tactics part of the main series, even though it's more like an actual FF game than FFXI ever was.

 

[MDSnowman]

5: FFX
4: Crisis Core
3: FFVII
2: Tactics
1: FFVI

 

[Raioken18]

I'm not for FF7 best game of all time... I'd go LoZ:MM,
but... I'd probably agree with it for best FF game...
I'd never played 6 so I can't really comment on it, but I find it hard to believe that all these people had played 6...

Anyway there is also a distinct lack of love for FF10 in this topic as well.

Oh and Tactics totally deserved to be on the list, not including spin offs... I think that is counterproductive to attempts at innovation, at least in this series.

 

[scorptatious]

FFIX is nowhere on the list.

You probably can't tell, but Vivi is very saddened by this.

Ah well. It's still my most favorite of the series.

 

[Mr C]

I've played every FF except 12 (it's looking at me from a dusty shelf) and of course we all have strong feelings about what is the best.

I found 8 to be the worst, I had to force myself to finish it. I'd definitely put 6 in that list, but 4 was great and my personal favourite is 9.

EDIT: My dislike for 8 was mainly down to an interesting combat system having almost no tutorial leading to a horrendous level of compulsory grinding once I knew what the heck was going on.

Also I couldn't get past how much of a prick the main character is, he doesn't even change, the worst emo nipple-face in the multi-verse. I still can't work out what that silly bint saw in him?

 

[sXeth]

When I bloody care more about the characters in the B - Story (Laguna frikkin rocks. Now THERES YOUR FRIKKIN ROMANCE STORY.), you have a problem.

Yeah, I've always maintained 8 would've been better served as Laguna's story of overthrowing the evil Sroceress of Esther, and (somehow) becoming President.

Instead it was Teen Assassins go to kill Sorceress for unspecified reason, fail utterly, ???????? Forced romance ???????? Forced Doublecross, ?????????, ??????????, ?????????, ????????????, Time travel junk ????????? ?????????? ?????????? SPACE SEX!, ???????????, ?????????, ???????????????????? WTF Just happened.


(The Draw system was tedious, and the alternative means were a little obscure, but I do have to give it some credit for being the only FF to really try and explain why the characters were the walking gods they were, combat-wise. (In 6 the characters are still obviously superhuman even pre-Esper augments, and in 7 everyone has materia, making their efforts nonsensical)

 

[Frostbite3789]

I'm confused as to why they decided it would be a good idea to do a top Final Fantasy video... I mean it's one of the most argued about franchises ever, they should have known that his opinion would spark some grand debate in comments. Maybe that was the goal?

Considering the last few weeks entire pages of comments were "THIS SERIES IS BORING AND INOFFENSIVE AND LAZY" I'd say that was the goal. And it worked.

 

[ScrabbitRabbit]

I like 1. There, I said it.

I love FF1, it's one of my favourites in the series. I just love that kind of simple, but engaging, dungeon crawling gameplay.

 

[crimson sickle2]

That error about FF 5 being 4 was hilarious, and yes I'm mentioning this again. The trolling will continue until standards improve.

 

[likalaruku]

I'd also like to see Top 5 Zelda & Bottom 5 Final Fantasy.

 

[Naqel]

For me, the top entry is definitely FF VI.
Never before or again have I seen a game with such a wide cast, that would endear me in its entirety.
Playing through that game, I felt almost as if making real friends, and cared deeply for every one of them.

Second would be a 3 way tie between the Tactics spin-offs I played.
I just love the idea of a turn based strategy with a fantasy theme, and it'd be too hard to pick the best entry here, since each had different strong points.

Third place falls to FF V.
I just love the way they handled the character progression in it, and the story had it's moments.
Overall though, I rank it here because of the gameplay.

4th would be FF X-2.
Say what you will, but it knows it's cheesy fanservice, and it rolls with it perfectly.
I was for a moment considering putting it 3rd, but let's face it, there's only so far fanservice can get you.

5th place is FF 3.
Gameplay wise it was a precursor to FF V, but it had a weaker story and some kinks still left to work out.

 

[RevRaptor]

I really don't get the point of this show If I wanted to know what some random dudes favourite games were I could just go to any old forum. this is this sites weakest show, needs a major over haul, This is just pointless and boring.
And how did he manage to get the FF 5 = FF 2 in the USA bit wrong. How hard is it to do some very simple research. FF4 was the one renamed to 2.

 

[grumpymooselion]

Why am I listening to this guy tell me what Final Fantasy games are best, when he can't even get their numbering right?

V was never originally released in the West at all, and it most certainly wasn't released in the west as Final Fantasy II. That was Final Fantasy IV.

VIII along with X and XIII is one of the worst Final Fantasy games I've played, not only from a story perspective but from a gameplay perspective as well. The only redeeming qualities are the villain designs, as you noted, and the card game. The Junction System, the take on the Limit System and pretty much everything else - especially the characters, their dialogues and story - are just trash.

You were right about the Job system in V being awesome.

You were right about Final Fantasy: Tactics being wonderful.

Final Fantasy VII was okay, but I can take it or leave it. The JRPG explosion in the PS1 and PS2 eras, I suppose, could be linked to it.

I wasn't surprised at all that VI was at the top of your list. It's always the go to favorite of anyone that doesn't want to have to listen to people blow their tops.

And saying that every Final Fantasy after VIII was Square dropping the ball? IX was easily better than VIII, but VIII was utter trash so that's not giving IX nearly enough credit. IX was the throw back to older Final Fantasy games, and it did a wonderful job at it. XII was surprisingly good - despite the development hell that resulted in missing features, forced in characters (Basch was the main character originally, you didn't play from Vaan's perspective) and more than a few other questionable or flawed decisions. XII is an example of what happens when the higher ups fiddle constantly with the creative decisions of the team, if Matsuno had been left to do what he wanted - instead if the higher ups pissing him off until he threw up his hands and left - XII would have been another Final Fantasy: Tactics level experience, and it shows for anyone familiar with Matsuno's work.

I hated X, and for good reason, but its combat system was solid and X's combat evolved into its final and best form in Final Fantasy X-2 a game far too many people dismiss. X was terrible, so the fact that it spawned X-2 a vastly superior product to X (all it had to do was not star Tidus to be better, let's be honest, but it actually did more than that)still boggles my mind. Yes X-2 is flawed in so many ways, but at its core X-2 is just a fun romp that's in permanent silly mode. Switch your brain to that mode and enjoy.

I can't imagine ever watching this top 5 series again . . . your taste in Final Fantasy games is fine, it doesn't have to be my taste. I'm not pissed off about your taste. I'm pissed off you're blatantly getting facts (like saying V was released as II, and far more than that) completely and totally wrong. If you can't be bothered to know or look up easily and readily accessible information . . . then I can't be bothered to watch the waste of time that is this top 5 show.

Personally my list looks like:

5. Final Fantasy XII (International - Zodiac Job System version)
4. Final Fantasy IX
3. Final Fantasy V
2. Final Fantasy IV (II [The original SNES version, not the edited and censored DS version that cuts out things like Rydia slapping Edward around when he's feeling sorry for himself])
1. Final Fantasy: Tactics

As a bonus: Vagrant Story (screw everyone, I know it's not a final fantasy, but it's a part of Matsuno's Ivalice setting which Tactics, XII, Vagrant Story and Revenant Wings all take place in). No I don't count the Ivalice of TA and TA2, nor should anyone.

 

[ShadowKatt]

My list usually pisses people off because of what my number one is:
5.) FF VI
4.) FF X-2 (don't judge me)
3.) FF X (LPing the International, which is gonna be fun)
2.) FF IX
1.) FF XII (mainly the International one since it's soooo good)

That's right XII is my favorite Final Fantasy game out of all of them.

snip

I have to defend my love of FF XII all the time. Heck I mainly play the international one now which helps improve my points, but still people give XII too much flak if you ask me.

I was one of those people that would have given you flak over it. When XII came out, I had pretty much nothing but hated for it. I didn't like the world, didn't like the characters, hated(I mean HATED) the fact that it pretty well shoehorned you into using the gambit system with its user unfriendly battle system, and the summons in that game absolutely SUCK. HARD.

The summons in that game STILL suck. That hasn't changed.

BUT, I changed my opinion after playing Tactics and learning that XII isn't so much another standalone FF like...well, nearly all of them, but part of the Tactics line. And I did love Tactics, but I played Tactics AFTER XII, so I never knew. Once I played Tactics though, I learned that I was playing through the events that led up to the War of the Lions, and the Gambit system was actually a more advanced form of the auto-combat system I used in Tactics. The grid was just gone and it was portrayed like any other FF. When I stopped trying to think of it in the same terms as VII or VIII, I realized just what a great game it is.