Final Fantasy - Where do I start?

[cosmoh]

So I know there are plenty of final fantasy enthusiasts on palgn, and having no experience with the series whatsoever, i finally decided it's about time i get into it. I guess im just wondering that given theres countless titles in the main series, not to mention more spinoffs then i can even begin to get my head around, is there any particular title i should start on? do the games work in chronological order or are they all stand alone?

I've recently picked up FF13 off the game exchange and looking forward to giving it a whirl, waiting for it to arrived in the post. But then i thought maybe i should give a few of the earlier titlles a go before starting on it. Anyone able to tell me some of the better releases in the series worth playing? was thinking of giving a few of the retro games a go on an emulator, and working my way from there. And i am aware that FF is multi plat for certain games, I figured I'd put this in the Sony forum as I'm really just looking at ps2/ps3 titles for the time being.

[Luketheman5]

Well each one is pretty different, so it's all personal opinion I guess. But my personal favourites are 10, 8, 7, 9 and 13.....But I honestly could never get into the retro ones at all.
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[Matth3w]

I was in your shoes about 12 years ago in the PS1 days. I bought 7 and it absolutely bored me. Somewhat of a revolutionary experience could not be had unless I forced myself to play. I preferred Pokemons turn based battle strategy.

Unless you care about storylines in games, I'd avoid them. But, I better say something positive about them before this gets negged and reported as spam.

From what I've heard from enthusiasts, VII is the best, followed by VIII. XIII should be avoided at all costs, and X and XII are great on PS2. If you can be bothered forking out the money and you are not yet bored of the series, VI, Anthologies (ie: IV & V), and IX are worth your time too.

TL;DR version: try VII first. If you like that, you'll like the majority of them. I think anything earlier than IV is on the........SNES????
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[Luketheman5]

[mrcool37]

Even though VII is probably my all time favourite game, with VIII not far behind, I'd still recommend X first for a first time FF experience, that's if you really have to play any in the first place.

VII and VIII play too slowly by todays standards, with their long drawn out battle intros, whilst X is still a great game and is a more recent release, plus you have some semi-decent graphics to look at for your 50+ hour playthrough.

What I'd recommend though, since you haven't played any FF's before judging by your post, pop FF13 in. If you love (pressing X and watching)the combat, but loathe the story, and don't mind a bit of a graphical hit, then give Final Fantasy 10 a go on the PS2/PC. The story is much better and is presented the same way by its epic video sequences. But you'll have a bit of reading to do as it's basically text based.

To answer earlier questions that haven't been answered, all FF games are stand-alone, with separate stories in separate worlds. As a big time fan of FF's golden age, don't bother with the emulators, the originals are awful to play today. If you have a DS though, it's a completely different story, as the remakes are great, especially IV.

[nadslaing]

I would recommend giving X a go first. X is my favourite alongside of VIII. It had a really good story (I think), strong characters, a great mini game (once you know what to do), decent battle system, and most of all some stunning and very memorable locations (Besaid island rocked my socks).

I'm playing FFXIII at the moment. I went into the game with low expectations, so at least I'm not too disappointed in it. But I will agree with everyone else, the battle system is the worst of the series. It makes XII's system look good!
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[Benza]

You've got a couple of place to start depending on what you want out of it.

For the masochist completionist
Start at number 1.

Beware though, the first games aren't that good they're poorly made, predicatbly plotted and hard as fuck.

Too see what people nostalgia over
Start at 4
4 was when the games started to develop into what they are today, it was the first real one to have complex main charecters and a good plot (Arguabbly one of the best the games have ever had) it also introduced a lot of the concepts that became mainstrays of the series.

To start at the fan faviourte
Start at 6
6 is widley considered to be one of the best in the series. It's probbably got one of the more complex plots and a pretyt large cast of complex charecters. It suffers from a lack of a main charecter and a last minute "Whoops nothing you did mattered start again" thing about half way through but it's pretty great. Also has some of the best graphics you'll see in a SNES Rpg outside of chrono trigger and terranigma (You should really just play Terrangima though )


To start were it got famous
Start at 7
7 is were Final Fantasy started gaining the mass appeal. It was the first on the Play station, first with 3d graphics, first with pre renderd cut scenes etc etc. It hasn't aged well though, the graphics are really bad, the overall design is just confused (We're they going for chibi or realistic proportions? Make up your fucking mind) and by this point the game has been blown way out of proportion were talking to fans can make it sound like the game is the second comming of christ.

Start at the best
start at 9
Best game in the series, anyone who says otherwise is a liar and trying to trick you. Best charecters, best plot, horrible horirble battle system (I'm incredibly bisased, this is mostly a joke, but seriously 9 is awesome)

Start at the modern ones
start at 10
10 was the first on PS2, it was the first to have voice acting, has an amazing plot (that it ripped off of teranigma) great graphics for the time and and the voice acting for the most part is solid (But at times creepy) it suffers from being squares first outing on the PS2 though and has some weird problems with models that constantly vibrate in close cut scenes and weird graphical issues

Being lazy
start at 13
13 was arse, but you can probbably pick it up for 20 bucks in your local EB used and you can grab it on your ps3 or 360.
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[mrcool37]

Crazy, can't remember X having voice acting at all. Can only recommend it more now.

I should really play through 9 though, I own it and have given it an hour, but the battle sequences are far too drawn out. Interesting that it's a favourite of a few here, I'll create a US account and give the NTSC version a whirl once I've finished playing XIII, I've heard that helps it a bit.

[Jedi_Amara]

^ Is there a difference between the US and PAL versions then? Or is it just the 60Hz thing?
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[Gamesta]

If you're talking about FFX then the PAL version has extra bosses.The NTSC version doesn't have the Dark Aeons.Can't remember if there's any other features the NTSC version doesn't have.

But you can get FFX International for NTSC which adds the extras the original NTSC version didn't have.
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[Jedi_Amara]

Oh, I meant IX, since mrcool said he was going to get the NTSC version.
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[UWSguy]

Token mention of Final Fantasty Tactics.

[Adam]

[Benza]

[Shadow Wave]

The other thing that is a huge let down in FF9 is the battle system music.... I really couldn't start that track

FF9 is great though, but I do rate it under FF7 and 8
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[nadslaing]

FF IX didn't do it for me. Call it the super-deformed characters or the world they created, it didn't click with me. But each to their own.
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[Shadow Wave]

^ I guess personally the songs intro's "Dun na na na na na na na dun na na na na na" just grinded my gears a bit
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[Pilot]

Since you're looking at PS2/PS3, I'd say FFX is the most accessable of your options there. Good story & music, decent characters & visuals (bad voice acting though). I don't necessarily think it's the best game from the options you have, but it's the easiest to get into and you should be able to pick up a copy fairly cheaply.

If you're ok with retro, I can't recommend a title more than FF6 though.

[Ryvenor]

My three favorite Final Fantasy games are 7,9 & 10. I like them all for different reasons, though i would say 9 slightly comes out on top. For a first game though i would say go with FFX as i think its the easiest to get into.

[sobriquet835]

Might as well throw in my 2 cents as well.

My list would be to play 10 first. For me, it has the best combination of modern voice acting, with the old school battle system. I have hated the battle systems since FFX. I rate 8 at the same level as 10, but I'd play the more modern one first. I'd place 7 and 9 at the next lext level, then FF2-6 and XII. 2-6 have (mostly) good battle systems, story and characters. XII has none of this, but has fantastic graphics, and a gorgeous open world. I also really like the Licence board system in XII, it has unparalleled flexibility, similar to the sphere grid, without being fiddly/time consuming like the Materia and Draw systems of 7 and 8.

I'd place the original behind this group, and XIII can just die.

[Tsargrad]

10 was the best one. Probably because I actually managed to finish it.

I have a soft spot for 8 and theres a scene with the male and female leads in its day was a beautiful piece of FMV.

Of the retro pre PSX ones, 6 was my fav, but not got too far in any of them.
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[admeister]

I recommend X, it's the easiest to get into and gives you a good idea of what to expect from the older games as it retains the classic turn based battle system. The graphics still look decent, and the voice acting is quite good. Great story. If you like X, then you should definitely check out X-2 as it's a really fun game that is set in the same world with a fantastic battle system.

Other than that, FFXIII is a good one to look at too. It's brilliant from a technical point of view (graphics, music, loading times). Best characters and story since FFX imo. Battle system has a lot of similarities to X-2's, it's like a simplified version of it. FFXII is trash.
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[shinhawk]

I'd say try starting with the older ones and try to work your way up. Personally, my favorite one of the series is VI and the fact that there is actually no established main character is something that was seen as a huge plus; You didn't have to carry around the same character throughout the game. However, Terra pretty much is considered (even going by Dissidia) VI's main character despite her not being required in the party at all times.
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[Island_Wolf]

First timer I will suggest 10, and then go backwards til 4 and somehow nudge 10-2, 12 and 13 whenever.

Having said that I actually never played a lot. Finished 3, 10, 10-2 and 13. Near completion on 8 and 4. Picked up and dropped 7, 9 and 12 but I'll try again.

In terms of favourites, I'm actually always in a conflict between 4, 8 and 10 as first.
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