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GAF Votes: Final Fantasy series rankings (Voting ends Mar. 2)

S

Svafnir

Member
1. FF6 ; there is no better villain than kefka.
2. FF13 ; unpopular choice but I love the battle system
3. FF9 ; vivi nuff said.
4. FF7
5. FF8
 
S

ScOULaris

Member
Well, for some reason my thread-making privileges have been revoked. Whether or not this is punishment for something I've done or simply a glitch, I hope it gets resolved in time to post the results thread for this.

If not, I might have to give it to someone else.
 
S

StuBurns

Banned
Rolf NB said:
Busywork that involves no challenge, no strategy. Why would anyone like it? Personally, the auto-leveled enemies were a much bigger problem than the junction system. But that still doesn't make it a great design.

edit: binds to status resistances and status attacks are strategic and a good element, but the whole binding to basic stats added nothing to the game. You could have the same level of strategy with just accessory equipment slots, ala FFX, skip all the drawing bullshit, and end up with a faster, more fun game.
Click to expand...
You're not meant to sit and draw magic in battle. You're meant to refine it from loot. I don't see the issue with auto-leveled enemies either. Yes, you can exploit it, if you choose to, don't choose to, it's that simple.
 
L

Loto

Member
1) FF 6: one of the best games ever made.
2) FF 7
3) FF 4
4) FF 8
5) FF 10
6) FF 11
7) FF 9
8) FF 5
9) FF 10-2
10) FF 12
11) FF 13
12) FF 1
13) FF 3
14) FF 2

Haven't played 14 and currently playing through 13-2.
 
D

djtiesto

is beloved, despite what anyone might say
Wow, FF5's not too popular with a lot of people... shame, since I think it's the best one. But a lot of people are listing it at the bottom, which is surprising. To those who hate FF5, what don't you like about it? Is it the lack of melodrama?
 
S

ScOULaris

Member
djtiesto said:
Wow, FF5's not too popular with a lot of people... shame, since I think it's the best one. But a lot of people are listing it at the bottom, which is surprising. To those who hate FF5, what don't you like about it? Is it the lack of melodrama?
Click to expand...

Probably fewer people have played it than most of the other entries, due to how long it took for a NA release. That, and a lot of people feel that it has by far the weakest story/characters in the series.
 
Clear

Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
Rolf NB said:
edit: binds to status resistances and status attacks are strategic and a good element, but the whole binding to basic stats added nothing to the game. You could have the same level of strategy with just accessory equipment slots, ala FFX, skip all the drawing bullshit, and end up with a faster, more fun game.
Click to expand...

The Junction system was brilliant because it gave you total control over your builds based on which character had which GF's and how the magic was allocated. The best thing was that GF's overall usefulness was greater than just what effects/damage they caused when you summoned them, they were legitimately part of their assigned character.

Later on, when the various refine effects kicked in you had a whole metagame to play with that connected up other mechanics like the card system. So cool.

The best part of course is on top of all this you have a battle system with little mini-game elements (gunblade trigger, button-bashing during summon anims), powerful special attacks (that you could force using aura) and a bunch of cool special powers like Blue Magic.

Compare it to Lost Odyssey, which tries to do something similar but in a simplified form and fails miserably.
 
C

Clever Pun

Member
ScOULaris said:
Probably fewer people have played it than most of the other entries, due to how long it took for a NA release. That, and a lot of people feel that it has by far the weakest story/characters in the series.
Click to expand...

I liked it the first time through, but it became one of my favorites after doing the Five Job Fiesta the last few years.
 
C

cartman414

Member
StuBurns said:
You're not meant to sit and draw magic in battle. You're meant to refine it from loot. I don't see the issue with auto-leveled enemies either. Yes, you can exploit it, if you choose to, don't choose to, it's that simple.
Click to expand...

The loot refine method isn't necessarily more fun though.

And there is some punishment for killing enemies when there shouldn't be.

Anyhoo, now that I have a little time, here are my rankings:

1) Final Fantasy 6
2) Final Fantasy 5
3) Final Fantasy 9
4) Final Fantasy 4
5) Final Fantasy 10
6) Final Fantasy 7
7) Final Fantasy 3
8) Final Fantasy 1
9) Final Fantasy 8
10) Final Fantasy 2

May add in explanations later. Still haven't played any of the followups. (Held off on 10-2 and 12 in hopes of Int'l versions.)
 
K

kswiston

Member
Has this thread been orphaned, or is someone else going to step up to create the results thread?

I was looking forward to see how the results compared to my annual Essential Rpg threads (FFVI has been the second place overall behind Chrono Trigger in those threads for 3 years running)
 
B

BaroqueSampson

Member
1. FF9
2. FF12
3. FF6
4. FF5
5. FF10
6. FF7
7. FF3
8. FF13
9. FF8

It's been too long since I've finished the rest to really give an accurate ranking.
 
C

Cheesemeister

Member
Heh, the OP got banned. I guess I could parse the results, as it's pretty much a no-brainer data set.

In general, though, I have an extreme distaste for the endless FF comparison and ranking debates. As if that's the only thing that can be discussed when the series comes up.
 
A

APZonerunner

Member
1. FF9; masterpiece
2. FF7
3. FF6
4. FF4
5. FFX
6. FF8
7. FF1
8. FF5
9. FF12
10. FF3

If the OP is banned and nobody else wants to I could build these results out sometime this week.
 
M

Mumei

Member
Here goes~

1. Final Fantasy IX
2. Final Fantasy VI
3. Final Fantasy X
4. Final Fantasy VII
5. Final Fantasy XII
6. Final Fantasy VIII

I could see myself switching around some of those, but that's more or less it for me.
 
M

MadSkillzBahamut

Member
Why is the OP banned, by the way?

And can people stop tactically putting FF7 really low or not at all on their lists because they want FF6 to win... we all know it's better than FF1. This is a fact.
 
J

JerkShep

Member
1. FF VII
2. FF VI
3. FF IX
4. FF X
5. FF XII
6. FF VIII
7. FF XIII
8. FF X-2

I've played FF1 but I can't remember anything about that game lol. I've played A LOT of FFIV but never finished it. It would in the lower part of the list I think but I can't really rank it. Played XI too, but I can't really compare it to the others.
 
H

Hecatonchires Custom

Member
1-FF6 - Apocalyptic world, dungeons where you can use one than more party, the music and setting, just awesome
2-FF4 - Overdone to death but still a classic, the music is amazing even to this day
3-FF5 - Job system is amazing, lighthearted story for the most part
4-FF8 - The setting is amazingly realistic, the card game was pretty fun and I love games that allow you to break them apart completely.
5-FF12 - Love the gambit system, Hunts and Balthier, wish I could try the international version
6-FF13-2
7-FF7
8-FF13
9-FF9
10-FF10
 
A

Absoludacrous

Member
1)FF6
2)FF9
3)FF12
4)FF10
5)FF5
6)FF8
7)FF7
8)FF13
9)FF1
10)FF11

Roughly. I love them all though.

Final Fantasy Tactics is the real #1.
 
K

kswiston

Member
I guess I should include my rankings

1. FF12
2. FF7
3. FF6
4. FF10
5. FF8
6. FF9
7. FF5
8. FF4
9. FF13
10. FF1

Notes:
- I haven't played 9 in over 10 years, but at the time it was my least favorite of the 7-10 games. That might have something to do with the fact that I played the SNES games in the late 90s instead of the early 90s and had no nostalgia for that time period of the franchise. However, I plan on playing through all of the PS1 games again this summer as part of the GAF Plays Final Fantasy thread. Maybe my opinion of the game will change now that I am 30 instead of 18.

- FF4 was my least favorite of the SNES titles. I often wonder if it was one of those "you had to be there" games. FF5 had better gameplay and FF6 had a better story/characters. Still, I recognize its importance in shaping the genre, and still think it is worth trying out.

- I freely admit that FF7 and FF10 are influenced by nostalgia. As a Sega owner during the 16-bit gen, FF7 was my introduction to the series. However, the game was still fun when I played it last 2-3 years ago. Final Fantasy X was a great experience for me the first time around in 2001, and was later used as an excuse by my then friend/now wife to spend time at my place in 2006 when I introduced her to the game.

- While it isn't my favorite entry, I think FF8 gets a lot of undeserved hate. The story may have been bland, but I thought it had one of the better battle systems in the series. It also had the best meta-game (Triple Triad was awesome).

- I haven't completed FF2, 3, X-2, or XIII-2, so I did not consider them in this ranking.

- Final Fantasy Tactics would have topped my list if it was allowed in the rankings. I would have also replaced FF13 with Crisis Core (which should count if we are counting X-2 and XIII-2).
 
S

StuBurns

Banned
MadSkillzBahamut said:
Why is the OP banned, by the way?

And can people stop tactically putting FF7 really low or not at all on their lists because they want FF6 to win... we all know it's better than FF1. This is a fact.
Click to expand...
Paranoid much?

I wish people would stop voting XII high because I know it's shit, such subterfuge.
 
I

Icelight

Member
1. FF7 ; I know, I know. But I absolutely love the materia system, the world itself, and the general progression of the game.
2. FF12 ; So much to do and see, and I'm a fan of the different take on the story (warts and all).
3. FF9 ; An absolutely lovely game that likely would have gone above 12 if only the battle system wasn't so slow.
4. FF13-2 ; Love the battle system, actually enjoyed the story, and...while I never thought I'd say this before playing it...makes me want XIII-3 now. If only the game was harder.
5. FF13 ; I really enjoyed this game. More than I expected to, actually. Having a super linear RPG once-in-a-while isn't bad as far as I'm concerned, as long as they all don't trend in that direction. For something different, it was nice.
6. FF8 ; Gets a bit too much shit if you ask me. Solid game with some moderately serious problems in the battle system. And the
twist
was complete horseshit.
7. FF10
8. FF5
9. FF6
10. FF4
 
B

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
1. FF6 - Really though my top 5 can all be interchangeable.
2. FF12
3. FF9
4. FF4
5. FF5

Actually debating even including the rest below as to not give them ranking points. But whatever...

6. FF1 - Nostalgia, but a solid first entry.
7. FF3 - Some quirkiness in the balancing and encounter design, but a fun quest.
8. FFX - Shit story and characters, great combat.
9. FF2 - Overworld music is so good. Game is meh.
10. FF7 - Shit story, sidequests, and characters. Great music and a nice tech jump. Adored at the time, but it hasn't held up.
11. FF8 - Shit story, sidequests, and characters. Great music and the junction system was unique. Has held up worse than FF7.
12. FFX-2 - Awful in every aspect minus the combat and the 'concept'. Better use of 'job/paradigms' than FFXIII.
13. FFXIII - Combat was snappier than X-2, but far more rigid and lacking the sheer reactive tactics due to this. Abysmal characters, world, lore, and plotting.
14. FFXIII-2 - Improvement in some ways over XIII, but actually far worse in others.
 
O

Octorockin'

Member
I can only vote for the two Final Fantasy games that I've finished. Is that okay?

1. Final Fantasy XII - This game has one of my favorite battles systems in the genre, and it helps that exploring Ivalice feels so intimate with the combat system. The satisfying mix of exploration and combat is just great. I loved the soundtrack and voice-acting as well, though to be honest, I forgot most of the story. I should replay it sometime soon.

2. Final Fantasy IV - The DS version to be specific. Ths is one of the prettiest 3D games on the DS, and also one of the most fun. The steady flow of challenging battles and impressive production values makes it a fun adventure, and the simplistic story was pleasant. I can see why this game made such a big name for itself back on the Super Nintendo, and I'd like to play the original someday.

I've come very close to finishing VI, but I'm just not there yet.
 
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