Square had left Nintendo after releasing FFVI and were using Sony's new console, the Playstation, to create a new version of Final Fantasy, one that finally left behind the confines of a 2D world, and entered the world of 3D. The first sight that many gamers around the world saw upon starting this new adventure was the slow sweep over Midgar, and the face of a lonely flower girl wandering its streets before the title displayed proudly across the screen: Final Fantasy VII. FFVII was revolutionary: pre-rendered visuals, full motion video, and amazing 3D battle effects made a genuine impact, and although the graphics - which were state-of-the-art at the time - were certainly a selling point for this game, the plot and characters are still considered the best out of all the Final Fantasy games.
Every character that joins your group has a story, from Cloud's dealings with Shinra to why Aeris only has a step-mother, and in every instance in one way or another, their story is revealed, but also left partially concealed, to leave the player with unanswered questions. Only through careful searching of the entire game world will the truth be revealed about your little band. This attention to detail isn't limited to your party, there are many characters out there, waiting for you to press the X button next to them so they can reveal the information they hold. Final Fantasy VII is possibly the closest you can come to 3D RPG heaven.
With the sucess of FFVII, Square had a lot to live upto. By taking the technology level of the previous game and raising it, they had effectivly created the world of Final Fantasy VIII, a world of advanced technology, with entirely different characters. Although the main character didn't have spiky hair, he did inherit Cloud's troublesome past (though you could just attribute his restlessness on the fact he's a stroppy teenager). FFVIII also showed that with every new game comes a slightly different battle system, and FFVIII's battles were certainly the most radical out of the whole series. The "Junction" system was also highly confusing, and the removal of the long used MP system probably explains why the game was not as successful as the previous games. However, there are certainly redeeming features. FFVIII finally introduced 3D models that actually looked like people, a stark contrast to the polygon blocks that formed FFVII's characters. Final Fantasy VIII also had some amazing architecture, the Lunatic Pandora and the enormus technological metropolis Esthar to name a couple. Despite this, Final Fantasy VIII is generally viewed as a bit of a disappointment compared to Final Fantasy VII.
Next is Final Fantasy IX, a return to the traditional values of Knights in Rusty Armour and mischevious thieves who kidnap Beautiful Princesses. The technological worlds of FFVII and FFVIII are done away with, and everything is powered by a creepy mist that envelops the continent of the four cities where the first disk and the first half of the second disk takes place. In contrast to the militant nature of your group in FFVIII, FFIX's group is comprised of a rather ragtag group of individuals. In this writer's opinion, Vivi still remains the coolest Final Fantasy character ever. Although the Black Mages appear to be created to kill, Vivi does not have such a temperament, and is determined to discover what he can about his own life. Although at the start of the game Zidane may seem entirely different to Vivi, as the game progresses, there are certain things that link their existances together. Other than the main storyline involving people who want to destroy the world, the story is mostly a simple love story. Boy meets Girl, Girl is princess, Boy is commoner, and somehow they all live happily ever after. At this point, the question to be answered is has Square improved the Final Fantasy formula since FFVII, or did they go downhill with FFVIII and FFIX?
Although the graphics have improved greatly since FFVII, and Square have refined their plots and character backgrounds, the plot of FFVII is the thing that wins most people over. It's a plot that is both understandable yet not without complexities, and it's exactly what keeps the hardcore RPG fans happy. Although this would support the reasons why FFVII seems to be at the top, the other games in the series have attracted a lot of fans, both in PAL and NTSC regions. Square's combinations of good character's, plots, graphics and music have created a series that is very sucessful.
Next on Quin's Query: Quinsisdos finds yet another reason to blabber on about Final Fantasy
(the title's good too. 
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