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GAF Votes: Final Fantasy series rankings (Voting ends Mar. 2)
- Thread starter ScOULaris
- Start date
Hanningfield
Member
1. FF8; A brave follow-up to FFVII. In many hands, this could have been the most safest sequel imaginable. Instead, Square delivered great flexibility with the Junction system (and gave many players enough rope to hang themselves with) and a story that was noticeably different over what FF had delivered previously with personal drama prioritised far above saving the world hysterics. A superb world, fun characters, amazing soundtrack and a system that allows you to define your characters as you please. I could write more, but I'll stop here. The best in the traditional series.
2. FF12; The best in the non-traditional series. The wonderful gambit mechanics and a battle system that scratched my adventuring / loot itch hard, make this feel like a true cohesive role playing game, rather than a set of disparate elements cobbled together for the sake of the JRPG genre. Even the development issues which hindered the direction and story can't stop the raw design genius shining through.
3. FF7; A lot of fun, good pacing and tons of memorable moments.
4. FF10
5. FF6
6. FF11
7. FF4
8. FF9
9. FF13
10. FF2
2. FF12; The best in the non-traditional series. The wonderful gambit mechanics and a battle system that scratched my adventuring / loot itch hard, make this feel like a true cohesive role playing game, rather than a set of disparate elements cobbled together for the sake of the JRPG genre. Even the development issues which hindered the direction and story can't stop the raw design genius shining through.
3. FF7; A lot of fun, good pacing and tons of memorable moments.
4. FF10
5. FF6
6. FF11
7. FF4
8. FF9
9. FF13
10. FF2
Earthpainting
Member
The order of my list tends to fluctuate a bit depending on my mood, but I think this should be representative of my take on the series.
01. FF6; Unbelievable journey with a very strong cast and one of the best scores in video game history. It was one of the very few games that not only was able to live up to its, but also managed to exceeded it. It also manages to be at the top of my list of games that I do NOT want to see remade. It has too much to lose, when looking at Square Enix today.
02. FF9; Fantastic world and characters as well, but ultimate held back a little by its load times and questionable final few hours. Especially the direction of this game is really well done. Very surprised they were able to do so much with nothing but tropes and archtypes.
03. FF5; Tremendous sense of adventure and easily the most replayable game of the series, due to its class system.
04. FF12; Started off really strong, but sadly enough the quality and care of this game oddly drops the further you get. Though to be fair, the game never became bad at any point.
05. FF4; Not a big fan of the characters, but I respect the game for what it did at the time. The later DS version made did turn out to make the game more interesting though.
06. FF7; Love the music of this game, but it kind of started showing some of the distinctly anime-like quirks that would later typify my falling out with the series.
07. FF3; While I do have some good memories of this game, I did not really enjoy playing it that much due to its difficulty.
08. FF1; Didn't get to play this until the Origins release and while there isn't a whole lot to be gained from playing the game, it was a rather interesting experience.
09. FF10-2; This game is really stupid and I raise my eyebrows to people that would disagree. That said, there are some really cool mechanics burried under the sewage that is the presentation and story.
10. FF8; I straight up did not like this game. The music is good, but virtually every other element of this irritates me on some level. While I respected their attempts at the new mechanics, I did not enjoy them.
Did not touch 13-2 and didn't play enough of 11 to pass judgement on it. FFTactics would also rank pretty high if it were permitted. Part of me wanted to stop handing out points past the number 8 spot, because I do not believe 8, 10, 10-2 or 13 deserve even the scraps of my points. However in the spirit fairness, I ranked them anyway.
01. FF6; Unbelievable journey with a very strong cast and one of the best scores in video game history. It was one of the very few games that not only was able to live up to its, but also managed to exceeded it. It also manages to be at the top of my list of games that I do NOT want to see remade. It has too much to lose, when looking at Square Enix today.
02. FF9; Fantastic world and characters as well, but ultimate held back a little by its load times and questionable final few hours. Especially the direction of this game is really well done. Very surprised they were able to do so much with nothing but tropes and archtypes.
03. FF5; Tremendous sense of adventure and easily the most replayable game of the series, due to its class system.
04. FF12; Started off really strong, but sadly enough the quality and care of this game oddly drops the further you get. Though to be fair, the game never became bad at any point.
05. FF4; Not a big fan of the characters, but I respect the game for what it did at the time. The later DS version made did turn out to make the game more interesting though.
06. FF7; Love the music of this game, but it kind of started showing some of the distinctly anime-like quirks that would later typify my falling out with the series.
07. FF3; While I do have some good memories of this game, I did not really enjoy playing it that much due to its difficulty.
08. FF1; Didn't get to play this until the Origins release and while there isn't a whole lot to be gained from playing the game, it was a rather interesting experience.
09. FF10-2; This game is really stupid and I raise my eyebrows to people that would disagree. That said, there are some really cool mechanics burried under the sewage that is the presentation and story.
10. FF8; I straight up did not like this game. The music is good, but virtually every other element of this irritates me on some level. While I respected their attempts at the new mechanics, I did not enjoy them.
Did not touch 13-2 and didn't play enough of 11 to pass judgement on it. FFTactics would also rank pretty high if it were permitted. Part of me wanted to stop handing out points past the number 8 spot, because I do not believe 8, 10, 10-2 or 13 deserve even the scraps of my points. However in the spirit fairness, I ranked them anyway.
1. FF6: Ideally a game that every fan of the series has played. Setting, art direction, characters, and music are among the best in the industry in that they played together well.
2. FF12: Once accustomed to the mechanics, it's the meatiest title in the franchise.
3. FF9: The classic style of FF should be more prevalent in new titles. Especially at this level of quality
4. FF13: The best art direction, music, battle system, and mythology in any FF. The most fun I've had with a battle system in any RPG. Writing and level design were stuck in FFX.
5. FF11: An overlooked, but excellent game. Biggest issue was the inability to get anything of consequence done without a dedicated group of people.
6. FF8: Most fun I've had with the franchise before 13. If it had a stronger and better paced story, it'd be higher.
7. FF13-2: FF13 with more freedom. Time travel had more potential, but it was far too limiting as far as how much each time period was developed. Be more like Chrono Trigger.
8. FF3: Overlooked, but it is the best classic (NES) RPG. The story got the job done, but the job system single-handedly made it a joy to play. I had more fun with this one than FF5 despite the fact that FF5 expanded on the job system.
9. FF7 An excellent if overrated game. Character design and story were both a bit silly.
10. FF10 The battle system was strong, and the environments were cool. The ending alone made it worth dealing with Meg Ryan, awkward cutscenes, and irritating mini-games.
2. FF12: Once accustomed to the mechanics, it's the meatiest title in the franchise.
3. FF9: The classic style of FF should be more prevalent in new titles. Especially at this level of quality
4. FF13: The best art direction, music, battle system, and mythology in any FF. The most fun I've had with a battle system in any RPG. Writing and level design were stuck in FFX.
5. FF11: An overlooked, but excellent game. Biggest issue was the inability to get anything of consequence done without a dedicated group of people.
6. FF8: Most fun I've had with the franchise before 13. If it had a stronger and better paced story, it'd be higher.
7. FF13-2: FF13 with more freedom. Time travel had more potential, but it was far too limiting as far as how much each time period was developed. Be more like Chrono Trigger.
8. FF3: Overlooked, but it is the best classic (NES) RPG. The story got the job done, but the job system single-handedly made it a joy to play. I had more fun with this one than FF5 despite the fact that FF5 expanded on the job system.
9. FF7 An excellent if overrated game. Character design and story were both a bit silly.
10. FF10 The battle system was strong, and the environments were cool. The ending alone made it worth dealing with Meg Ryan, awkward cutscenes, and irritating mini-games.
Palom
Member
1. FF9 - FF9 was a bit more special to me when it came out because after the homogenization of characters that occurred in 6, 7, and 8, FF9 returned back to each character having their own specific roles. It gave a lot more personality to the cast, and I found them very likable. My only gripe would be how active the battle system is. Having spell timers count down while watching skill animations rendered casting Protect, Shell, Haste, etc. useless. Everything else about the game I enjoyed, from the mini-games to the main story.
2. FF6
3. FF7
4. FF4
5. FF10
6. FF2 - I only played through this for the first time ever on PSP a couple years ago. I found it really enjoyable, and strangely was addicted to skill grinding.
7. FF12
8. FF1
9. FF10-2
10. FF5
Even though I played FF11 for just over 5 years, I absolutely hated the game by the time I quit. It really turned me off from MMORPGs in general.
2. FF6
3. FF7
4. FF4
5. FF10
6. FF2 - I only played through this for the first time ever on PSP a couple years ago. I found it really enjoyable, and strangely was addicted to skill grinding.
7. FF12
8. FF1
9. FF10-2
10. FF5
Even though I played FF11 for just over 5 years, I absolutely hated the game by the time I quit. It really turned me off from MMORPGs in general.
It's Final Fantasy. Every title splits the fanbase.
1. FF7; This one's a classic for a reason. I used to place it below FF9, but after some replays it's just better. Everything comes together perfectly for this one.
2. FF9; One of the most underrated games of all time, probably. The story was great, I loved the battle system, and I loved the return to the old school FF feel. Zidane is the best protagonist of the series, and Kuja is probably my favorite villain of the series, too.
3. FF8; This is the first one I played and I think that nostalgia takes over any flaws it might have. Even just a snippet of the music can bring me back. I still love and defend the junction system against anyone that hates it.
4. FF6; Another classic game. There's no real flaws here, it just doesn't hit me with nostalgia as much as the others. And I think the cast being bigger than the top games makes it a bit harder to connect with them all, but still it's a wonderful game.
5. FF10; This has a superb cast and a good fast paced battle system. The world was well thought out, and the story was intriguing throughout. The first time voices were in an FF worked wonderfully and added a ton of personality to the entire cast. I think this one was a bit linear for my taste, and I missed the world map, but I still loved it.
6. FF11; I spent so much time on this game it isn't even funny. It had its flaws, but man was it addicting. And the world was just so huge and had so much to explore. Nothing tops the first days of exploration I had on here. I felt like a pioneer charting dangerous territory. You never knew whether where you were going was going to get you killed or not in the beginning, and I loved that.
7. FF5; The best job system in the series. Supremely fun to play and plan out. And the music was great.
8. FF4; I loved the cast and the music, as always. The plot twists were great for its time, as was the story.
9. FF12; This one could literally be my number 1 game if it had been what Matsuno planned. I think it'd be my number 1 of all time if it had been that. Sadly, it wasn't. It was missing a lot, especially around the middle. But despite that what we did get was really great. The battle system felt fresh and felt like the direction the series should really take. And I had some exhilarating hunt battles since I took some of them on way earlier than when I should.
10. FF13; I really don't get the hate this one gets. Sure it's lower on my list, but I still absolutely loved it. The battle system was refreshing and modern, and I loved how the cast of characters fought with each other. That was also a refreshing change up. The only reason it's down this far is because they hold you back a bit too much for a bit too long.
11. FF2; I think this one doesn't get enough credit. I like the idea behind the battle system, and the story is really great for its time. FF4 gets more credit with adding the typical FF story, but here's where it really happened.
12. FF13-2; This couldn't quite hit where FF13 hit. It was a sufficient game, and fixed some things like the linearity, but it did drop the ball with difficulty curve and the wacky time traveling storyline.
13. FF1; It's a great game and a great start, but by now it's just a bit old and dated.
14. FF3; Again, this is a great game for its time, but by now it's dated a bit. And I think it loses out for me because FF5 perfected the job system.
15. FF10-2; This is the only one on this list I couldn't beat. The battle system was great, but I couldn't take anything even remotely seriously. And the story seemed like it was barely even held together. Someday I'll give this another chance....
My real number 1, though, is Final Fantasy Tactics. That beats all the rest hands down in gameplay and story. Really, it's one of my favorite games of all time.
2. FF9; One of the most underrated games of all time, probably. The story was great, I loved the battle system, and I loved the return to the old school FF feel. Zidane is the best protagonist of the series, and Kuja is probably my favorite villain of the series, too.
3. FF8; This is the first one I played and I think that nostalgia takes over any flaws it might have. Even just a snippet of the music can bring me back. I still love and defend the junction system against anyone that hates it.
4. FF6; Another classic game. There's no real flaws here, it just doesn't hit me with nostalgia as much as the others. And I think the cast being bigger than the top games makes it a bit harder to connect with them all, but still it's a wonderful game.
5. FF10; This has a superb cast and a good fast paced battle system. The world was well thought out, and the story was intriguing throughout. The first time voices were in an FF worked wonderfully and added a ton of personality to the entire cast. I think this one was a bit linear for my taste, and I missed the world map, but I still loved it.
6. FF11; I spent so much time on this game it isn't even funny. It had its flaws, but man was it addicting. And the world was just so huge and had so much to explore. Nothing tops the first days of exploration I had on here. I felt like a pioneer charting dangerous territory. You never knew whether where you were going was going to get you killed or not in the beginning, and I loved that.
7. FF5; The best job system in the series. Supremely fun to play and plan out. And the music was great.
8. FF4; I loved the cast and the music, as always. The plot twists were great for its time, as was the story.
9. FF12; This one could literally be my number 1 game if it had been what Matsuno planned. I think it'd be my number 1 of all time if it had been that. Sadly, it wasn't. It was missing a lot, especially around the middle. But despite that what we did get was really great. The battle system felt fresh and felt like the direction the series should really take. And I had some exhilarating hunt battles since I took some of them on way earlier than when I should.
10. FF13; I really don't get the hate this one gets. Sure it's lower on my list, but I still absolutely loved it. The battle system was refreshing and modern, and I loved how the cast of characters fought with each other. That was also a refreshing change up. The only reason it's down this far is because they hold you back a bit too much for a bit too long.
11. FF2; I think this one doesn't get enough credit. I like the idea behind the battle system, and the story is really great for its time. FF4 gets more credit with adding the typical FF story, but here's where it really happened.
12. FF13-2; This couldn't quite hit where FF13 hit. It was a sufficient game, and fixed some things like the linearity, but it did drop the ball with difficulty curve and the wacky time traveling storyline.
13. FF1; It's a great game and a great start, but by now it's just a bit old and dated.
14. FF3; Again, this is a great game for its time, but by now it's dated a bit. And I think it loses out for me because FF5 perfected the job system.
15. FF10-2; This is the only one on this list I couldn't beat. The battle system was great, but I couldn't take anything even remotely seriously. And the story seemed like it was barely even held together. Someday I'll give this another chance....
My real number 1, though, is Final Fantasy Tactics. That beats all the rest hands down in gameplay and story. Really, it's one of my favorite games of all time.
1. FF7; I would assume that GAFs choice is going to be FF6. And that is a fantastic game in its own right, but FF7 has a simplicity to it that makes it easy to pickup & play. I love the materia system. It really felt like I was putting my own mark on who the characters were even though they were predefined in the story.
2. FF6; Just play the opening. It screams masterpiece. The epoch of 16bit evocation
3. FF5; Job system. That wraps that up.
4. FF4; I remember playing & enjoying this. I'd be interested in the DS remake if I had time for portables.
5. FF1; I played the GBA version on a train ride to NYC. Really gave me a good appreciation for where the series started.
6. FF9; I didn't complete this (or anything #5 thru #10) but I enjoyed what I did play. Although this is the first game I remember where I was kind of sick of cutscenes.
7. FF2; Played on the way back from NYC. Not as fun as 1.
8. FF10; I couldn't get into in. Played for maybe 15 hours. Great graphics though. Maybe I'll try the HD version
x. FF8; I despise this game. How anyone thought that dragging out rpg encounters would be fun disgusts me. BOOO!
2. FF6; Just play the opening. It screams masterpiece. The epoch of 16bit evocation
3. FF5; Job system. That wraps that up.
4. FF4; I remember playing & enjoying this. I'd be interested in the DS remake if I had time for portables.
5. FF1; I played the GBA version on a train ride to NYC. Really gave me a good appreciation for where the series started.
6. FF9; I didn't complete this (or anything #5 thru #10) but I enjoyed what I did play. Although this is the first game I remember where I was kind of sick of cutscenes.
7. FF2; Played on the way back from NYC. Not as fun as 1.
8. FF10; I couldn't get into in. Played for maybe 15 hours. Great graphics though. Maybe I'll try the HD version
x. FF8; I despise this game. How anyone thought that dragging out rpg encounters would be fun disgusts me. BOOO!
Not being released in the states until well after its initial release can have that effect in a voting situation like this.
That's why it will be particularly interesting to see how this voting turns out.
Bay Maximus
Banned
1. FF7
2. FF9
3. FF6
4. FF13
5. FF8
6. FF12
7. FF10
8. FF4
9. FF10-2
2. FF9
3. FF6
4. FF13
5. FF8
6. FF12
7. FF10
8. FF4
9. FF10-2
I feel like I'm a weird one since I love all of them (except X-2, but I don't really harbor any hatred or anything toward it... someday I'll give it another try). Especially with the top 8-10 of my list there's really only a negligible difference in how I feel about them.
1. FF4 - Played it 3 times, just can't get enough
2. FF9 - Most memorable, I loved the characters and overall style of the game
3. FF6 - Kefka's one crazy mofo.
4. FF13 - I used to hate this game to be honest. Second playthrough proved me wrong. I love the character development and interaction.
5. FF10 - I actually favoured the Tidus-Yuna pairing, moreso than any other couple in the series
6. FF7 - Nothing too spectacular for me, but nothing bad about it either!
7. FF8 - Haven't finished, but if I did I'm sure I'd rate it higher than 7. Also love the tension between Rinoa and Squall.
8. FF2 - I really disliked the no-level aspect, and having to hit yourself to get stronger was meh.
9. FF1 - Generic characters, I felt nothing for the them!
Wish I played 12 though, looked interesting. 5 is an odd one; I just couldn't place it anywhere.
2. FF9 - Most memorable, I loved the characters and overall style of the game
3. FF6 - Kefka's one crazy mofo.
4. FF13 - I used to hate this game to be honest. Second playthrough proved me wrong. I love the character development and interaction.
5. FF10 - I actually favoured the Tidus-Yuna pairing, moreso than any other couple in the series
6. FF7 - Nothing too spectacular for me, but nothing bad about it either!
7. FF8 - Haven't finished, but if I did I'm sure I'd rate it higher than 7. Also love the tension between Rinoa and Squall.
8. FF2 - I really disliked the no-level aspect, and having to hit yourself to get stronger was meh.
9. FF1 - Generic characters, I felt nothing for the them!
Wish I played 12 though, looked interesting. 5 is an odd one; I just couldn't place it anywhere.
I like them all too, but the majority of fans hate certain titles. If it's the price we have to pay for every title to be unique and keep the series fresh, then I'm all for it.
Lumpy Onion
Member
1. FF8: I didn't always like this one. But over the years it has become my favorite game I have ever played. It's a rather broken game in many ways, but the amount of freedom available in the gameplay systems are phenomenal. Every time I play it I find something new. I love the battle system because there are more things to do with enemies than just killing them. ie: carding, drawing, stealing, eating, etc. Also, a great believable world setting and Uematsu's best soundtrack.
2. FF13: The amount of times I have replayed this one since it came out shows just how much I love XIII. Still the most aesthetically pleasing JRPG I own, and it has one of the only battle systems that gives me real thrills. The story is kind of disjointed, but the scenario makes up for it imo.
3. FF10: Has my favorite storyline of any of the FF games. This one really felt like an evolution for the series. Game also had a really nice turn-based battle system that really made me think before my actions.
4. FF12: No game has a more fleshed out world than this game to me. The amount of content to find in this game is amazing. I do get kind of frustrated with having to retool my gambits though.
5. FF7: So much nostalgia for this game! I will never forget how amazed I was when I first played it. I think it still holds up great today.
6. FF9: Basically a little bit off everything that had come before in the series all mashed up into one game. The battle system bores me to tears, but exploring the world and other stuff makes up for it.
7. FF11: While I never got too far into the game, I still think it is my most beloved online experience. Just thinking about it makes me want to play again.
8. FF13-2: I dunno. I love the game. But I missed some of the things that FF XIII did better. Particularly the balance between battles. Still, it is one of my favorite jrpgs in years. I liked the characters and found the story interesting enough. Might be higher once I actually beat it (stuck on last boss) and see the optional stuff.
9. FF5: My first import jrpg. I am starting to get sick of it because of the amount of times I have been through the game, but the job system here is amazing.
10. FF6: I like the game, but lately it has started to bore me for some reason. I don't like how your characters learn spells. Great music and memorable characters.
2. FF13: The amount of times I have replayed this one since it came out shows just how much I love XIII. Still the most aesthetically pleasing JRPG I own, and it has one of the only battle systems that gives me real thrills. The story is kind of disjointed, but the scenario makes up for it imo.
3. FF10: Has my favorite storyline of any of the FF games. This one really felt like an evolution for the series. Game also had a really nice turn-based battle system that really made me think before my actions.
4. FF12: No game has a more fleshed out world than this game to me. The amount of content to find in this game is amazing. I do get kind of frustrated with having to retool my gambits though.
5. FF7: So much nostalgia for this game! I will never forget how amazed I was when I first played it. I think it still holds up great today.
6. FF9: Basically a little bit off everything that had come before in the series all mashed up into one game. The battle system bores me to tears, but exploring the world and other stuff makes up for it.
7. FF11: While I never got too far into the game, I still think it is my most beloved online experience. Just thinking about it makes me want to play again.
8. FF13-2: I dunno. I love the game. But I missed some of the things that FF XIII did better. Particularly the balance between battles. Still, it is one of my favorite jrpgs in years. I liked the characters and found the story interesting enough. Might be higher once I actually beat it (stuck on last boss) and see the optional stuff.
9. FF5: My first import jrpg. I am starting to get sick of it because of the amount of times I have been through the game, but the job system here is amazing.
10. FF6: I like the game, but lately it has started to bore me for some reason. I don't like how your characters learn spells. Great music and memorable characters.
I don't mind if my list ends up being discounted, but your OP did specify that we could leave out titles if we wanted to. I played more than I ranked, so it's possible others did the same.
Since the points system works that anything in a 1-10 gets points, I didn't want to apply points to games I didn't particularly like, which was why I left those games out in the first place.
Flakster99
Member
1. FF6
2. FF4
3. FF7
4. FF5
5. FF1
6. FF9
7. FF8
8. FF10
9. FF13-2
10. FF13
2. FF4
3. FF7
4. FF5
5. FF1
6. FF9
7. FF8
8. FF10
9. FF13-2
10. FF13
toddhunter
Member
1. FF6 - Best cast of characters, villain and some unforgettable moments
2. FF10 - Mind blowing CG for the time, a good story and Rikku
3. FF7 - Started a new era and still one of the most memorable games ever. If they had actually finished it, would have been number 1
4. FF9 - A couple of slow points, but great case and awesome ending
5. FF8 - Even more slow parts, and some unlikeable characters but the setting was great
6. FF13-2 - A stunning return to form. Needed one or two more characters to rise up the list but is a great game
7. FF10-2 - Ignoring the j-pop and other stupid 'love parts' actually has a great battle system and good case.
8. FF12 - The story is poor, nothing of note happens but the more mature tone is welcome and has an interesting battle system.
9. FF13 - Has it's flaws but is still an enjoyable experience and really shines in later parts.
10. FF3 - The remake elevated this game and still has some very memorable moments
2. FF10 - Mind blowing CG for the time, a good story and Rikku
3. FF7 - Started a new era and still one of the most memorable games ever. If they had actually finished it, would have been number 1
4. FF9 - A couple of slow points, but great case and awesome ending
5. FF8 - Even more slow parts, and some unlikeable characters but the setting was great
6. FF13-2 - A stunning return to form. Needed one or two more characters to rise up the list but is a great game
7. FF10-2 - Ignoring the j-pop and other stupid 'love parts' actually has a great battle system and good case.
8. FF12 - The story is poor, nothing of note happens but the more mature tone is welcome and has an interesting battle system.
9. FF13 - Has it's flaws but is still an enjoyable experience and really shines in later parts.
10. FF3 - The remake elevated this game and still has some very memorable moments
1) FF12 - The only Final Fantasy that feels "modern" in my opinion. It got rid of just about everything that annoys me about JRPGs. Sure it has its flaws: the storyline didn't become what it should have been and the license boards system is breakable at higher levels, but the base game still feels like exactly what FF should be today. The real time battle system makes grinding, and really overall gameplay, much less of a chore. The world and characters actually started to feel mature for once.
2) FF5 - Next to 12, 5 has what is in my opinion the best combat and gameplay system in the mainline series, definitely the best among the traditional games. It's the only classic FF that I wanted to keep playing purely just to keep playing it and not for a bunch of cut scenes.
2) FF5 - Next to 12, 5 has what is in my opinion the best combat and gameplay system in the mainline series, definitely the best among the traditional games. It's the only classic FF that I wanted to keep playing purely just to keep playing it and not for a bunch of cut scenes.
We'll see once all of the votes are in. If I tally everything up and the Top 5 have some really close match-ups, I might end up discounting posts with less than 4 votes to balance things out. I don't want anyone voting for games that they never played, but I would encourage everyone to try and rank the ones that they have. The points system kind of works assuming that even the bottom tier games get 1 point to avoid a huge gap forming. That being said, if you really hated some of the games you played and/or barely played very far into them, feel free to exclude them from your vote.
I truly believe that the end result will be an accurate representation of GAF's favorite entries in the series, even with the flexibility that I've allowed in the voting. I felt it was necessary since there are so many mainline games in this long-running series, and there was no way that most people have even played ten of them.
Adam Prime
hates soccer, is Mexican
1. FF6 - Character cast = awesome+
2. FF9 - Character cast = awesome
3. FF7 - Mood and story
4. FF5 - Job system!
5. FF8 - "New" combat system, Sci-Fi setting!
6. FF13 - Best combat in the series
7. FF12 - Awesome innovative MMORPG battle system
8. FF11 - Online, great idea, poor execution
9. FF4 - Groundbreaking for its time, the writing, story, and character has not held up
10. FF10 - Awesome graphics for the time, best ATB combat in the series, hated the characters and voice acting, killed the game for me.
If I could rank Dissidia Duoceidiem Final Fantasy, I would put that probably #5 on my list. That game is better than most of the mainline series. I think I may be the only person in this thread ranking 13 ahead of 4... and 10. 4 and and Ten are beloved, but yeah I didn't enjoy them at all.
I don't think anyone could really argue my other choices.
2. FF9 - Character cast = awesome
3. FF7 - Mood and story
4. FF5 - Job system!
5. FF8 - "New" combat system, Sci-Fi setting!
6. FF13 - Best combat in the series
7. FF12 - Awesome innovative MMORPG battle system
8. FF11 - Online, great idea, poor execution
9. FF4 - Groundbreaking for its time, the writing, story, and character has not held up
10. FF10 - Awesome graphics for the time, best ATB combat in the series, hated the characters and voice acting, killed the game for me.
If I could rank Dissidia Duoceidiem Final Fantasy, I would put that probably #5 on my list. That game is better than most of the mainline series. I think I may be the only person in this thread ranking 13 ahead of 4... and 10. 4 and and Ten are beloved, but yeah I didn't enjoy them at all.
I don't think anyone could really argue my other choices.
IntelliHeath
As in "Heathcliff"
I know Final Fantasy 11 is more likely to be bottom because not many people are fan of MMORPG.
First thing I noticed from your list that FF4-2 was not included. What is the reason why it isn't on list awhile FF10-2 and FF13-2 is.
I'd love to hear an update on the status of FFXIV, at first I heard it was garbage, but they fucked off the staff and got some new people in and now it's much better, but is it good? Great? Middling?
I always assumed it'd launch shitty on PC, then the console version would be the one to get, but it's been so long I won't be surprised if it doesn't come to this generation of systems.
I always assumed it'd launch shitty on PC, then the console version would be the one to get, but it's been so long I won't be surprised if it doesn't come to this generation of systems.
Dark Schala
Eloquent Princess
Yeah, I don't dislike any of them (nah, I don't like FF1 NES much). I feel indifferent towards some of them, but I like them for the most part. I just wish they'd have difficulty settings.
And my feelings are similar to Aeana's; I wish I could make them equal to each other. I put most FF games on the same 'tier' and I rank them much differently than other people do in that I separate them into categories as opposed to ranking them on their own.
I'll try to come up with something towards the end, like I always seem to do in these sorts of voting threads... Words take a long time to type, you know. Also cropping pics to go with entries, finding music to link in said pics, etc. Too bad I can't vote for spinoffs.
Biggest update so far is coming either this or next week, so there will be lots of new stuff to report on soon.
I have played since beta and they game has made astounding progress and has a promising future ahead imo. They really are working hard on revamping it and I am still having lots of fun.
They are essentially redoing the entire game for version 2.0, after which the PS3 version will be released.1. FF6; The ultimate Final Fantasy. Endearing characters, interesting story and world, fantastic music, and great gameplay. The magicite system is similar to materia in that it offers customized magic, but unlike VII, each character in VI has a unique ability that prevents them from becoming completely interchangeable.
2. FF9; A true love letter to the more lighthearted nature of the earlier fantasies, though it does have its share of dark moments. It takes everything that made those games so beloved and updates everything else to modern (at the time) standards.
3. FF12; Ivalice is a fantastic world with some of the finest art direction in games. XII features a layered story that requires a greater investment from players than is usual for the series. Combine that with well realized characters and progressive gameplay and it makes for one of the best games in the series. I never have liked the license board system, though.
4. FF7; Some criticism is deserved, but VII gets more hate than it should. Many cry nostalgia when people speak positively about the game, but in my opinion it was a landmark achievement for RPGs. The story can be nonsensical at times, but it hit every note it was going for.
5. FF10; The most interesting part of this game to me was Tidus. Unlike pretty much every other hero of the series, Tidus seems like a normal person thrown into a preposterous situation. I really felt that Tidus' actions were, for the most part, how your average Joe would react. The game itself was too linear though, but it did feature a great strictly turn-based battle system.
6. FF13; Another entry that gets a lot of hate, and almost all of it is deserved. I love it for the battle system. I've never been able to get a good feel for the job system, but XIII's ability to change your party setups on the fly finally accomplished that. It felt great to flip between paradigms in reaction to the development of the battle. The story and characters are very poor, though. One very notable moment in the game for me was when you enter Oerba. It was almost a synesthetic experience. The music and art truly came together perfectly at that moment. I had a true emotional reaction.
7. FF5; The great thing about this game is its freedom of gameplay. I love that you can play it with a traditional party or a completely esoteric setup. Still, though, I never got into as much as I would have liked.
8. FF4; The melodramatic plot of IV set the precedent for such in nearly every entry following. It never took itself too seriously, though, and definitely kept the player interested and eager to continue. It was a very transitory entry in the series. It hadn't let go of all the NES conventions, but it hadn't embraced the new direction of the series seen in VI and on.
9. FF3; The original job system template. I have to note that I'm pretty much just basing this on the DS version, though I have played a little of the original. Like V, I never got into it, but I do appreciate the freedom in the same way.
10. FF8; A mostly terrible game that squandered all of its potential. The militaristic story begins with promise but completely falls apart after the first disc. The drawing system is nothing but a tedious chore and turns casting magic into one of the worst tactical decisions you can make it the game.
2. FF9; A true love letter to the more lighthearted nature of the earlier fantasies, though it does have its share of dark moments. It takes everything that made those games so beloved and updates everything else to modern (at the time) standards.
3. FF12; Ivalice is a fantastic world with some of the finest art direction in games. XII features a layered story that requires a greater investment from players than is usual for the series. Combine that with well realized characters and progressive gameplay and it makes for one of the best games in the series. I never have liked the license board system, though.
4. FF7; Some criticism is deserved, but VII gets more hate than it should. Many cry nostalgia when people speak positively about the game, but in my opinion it was a landmark achievement for RPGs. The story can be nonsensical at times, but it hit every note it was going for.
5. FF10; The most interesting part of this game to me was Tidus. Unlike pretty much every other hero of the series, Tidus seems like a normal person thrown into a preposterous situation. I really felt that Tidus' actions were, for the most part, how your average Joe would react. The game itself was too linear though, but it did feature a great strictly turn-based battle system.
6. FF13; Another entry that gets a lot of hate, and almost all of it is deserved. I love it for the battle system. I've never been able to get a good feel for the job system, but XIII's ability to change your party setups on the fly finally accomplished that. It felt great to flip between paradigms in reaction to the development of the battle. The story and characters are very poor, though. One very notable moment in the game for me was when you enter Oerba. It was almost a synesthetic experience. The music and art truly came together perfectly at that moment. I had a true emotional reaction.
7. FF5; The great thing about this game is its freedom of gameplay. I love that you can play it with a traditional party or a completely esoteric setup. Still, though, I never got into as much as I would have liked.
8. FF4; The melodramatic plot of IV set the precedent for such in nearly every entry following. It never took itself too seriously, though, and definitely kept the player interested and eager to continue. It was a very transitory entry in the series. It hadn't let go of all the NES conventions, but it hadn't embraced the new direction of the series seen in VI and on.
9. FF3; The original job system template. I have to note that I'm pretty much just basing this on the DS version, though I have played a little of the original. Like V, I never got into it, but I do appreciate the freedom in the same way.
10. FF8; A mostly terrible game that squandered all of its potential. The militaristic story begins with promise but completely falls apart after the first disc. The drawing system is nothing but a tedious chore and turns casting magic into one of the worst tactical decisions you can make it the game.
bahamut_24
Neo Member
1. FF 8
2. FF 9
3. FF 6
4. FF 4
5. FF 7
6. FF 10
7. FF 5
8. FF 12
9. FF 10-2
10. FF 2
Never played those:
Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Final Fantasy XIV
2. FF 9
3. FF 6
4. FF 4
5. FF 7
6. FF 10
7. FF 5
8. FF 12
9. FF 10-2
10. FF 2
Never played those:
Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Final Fantasy XIV
It might work out, but in my own post I had FF4 7th and 12 10th. 12 is my least favorite of all 10 main ones I've played enough of to vote on. I didn't HATE it, but I didn't finish it. I'm fine with it getting 1 point from me, but it doesn't much sense that it gets the same points as FF4 from my post. I would put 4 considerably above 12.
Well, FF4: The After Years is tricky. It was originally a mobile game released in Japan, and then it was eventually brought over to the states on WiiWare and with the Complete Collection on PSP.
Whereas FF10-2 and FF13-2 are both direct sequels that got worldwide console releases, FF4-2 was more of a spin-off (co-developed with Matrix software) for the mobile market that eventually got ported over to other formats.
The argument could be made for its inclusion, but can you see why I didn't?
There might be a better way of scoring this, but it seemed to work well for both the Top 50 Nintendo Games thread and the Top 100 Games of All Time thread.
I have confidence that the rankings will be an accurate reflection of everyone's favorites in the series.
Thanks, I know there's an active thread in the community section, I might post in there in a month or so once people have had this upcoming update and had chance to process it, see how things are going. I have a PC so it's not like I was waiting for a console version for any real reason.Biggest update so far is coming either this or next week, so there will be lots of new stuff to report on soon.
I have played since beta and they game has made astounding progress and has a promising future ahead imo. They really are working hard on revamping it and I am still having lots of fun.
As for the After Years issue. I think technically it should count, but it's so poor, I really don't believe it would have had any impact on the posts.
jeremy1456
Junior Member
1. FF 4
2. FF 5
3. FF 7
4. FF 9
5. FF 3
6. FF 6
7. FF 10-2
8. FF
9. FF 8
10. FF 12
11. FF 2
12. FF 13
13. FF 10
My 1-8 picks are amazing to good games. Everything after that ranges from mediocre to downright terrible.
2. FF 5
3. FF 7
4. FF 9
5. FF 3
6. FF 6
7. FF 10-2
8. FF
9. FF 8
10. FF 12
11. FF 2
12. FF 13
13. FF 10
My 1-8 picks are amazing to good games. Everything after that ranges from mediocre to downright terrible.
ihearthawthats
Banned
1. FF10; it did everything extremely well. the gameplay, story, characters, music, even the mini-games were top-notch.
2. FF10-2; a sequel to the best ff? sign me up. it wasn't as good as ff10 except in one area: the gameplay. in fact, to this day its still the best battle system imo which is why it earns the number 2 spot.
3. FF5; what can i say? it was fun and light-hearted and a nice change from the more dramatic rpgs. it held the title for best battle system until ff10-2 came around.
4. FF13; if you couldn't tell by now, i play ff games for the gameplay moreso than the story. it doesn't get much better than ff13's battle system.
5. FF6; it was an out-of-this-world game for its time. it did things i didn't think were even possible. however, from a gameplay perspective it has some flaws for example, being conflicted between choosing characters i like vs characters that are good.
6. FF8; it did a lot of things wrong. however, the things it did right it did them extremely well. if anything, at least its a very interesting game.
7. FF7; the first 3d final fantasy was mind blowing, yet at the same time extremely dull. it was very likeable, but there wasn't anything that stood out to make it truly memorable.
the only other ones i played are 1 and 9 which i disliked. so i'm not going to bother ranking them because i feel like some of the ones i missed (particularly 4 and 12) would rank higher than them.
2. FF10-2; a sequel to the best ff? sign me up. it wasn't as good as ff10 except in one area: the gameplay. in fact, to this day its still the best battle system imo which is why it earns the number 2 spot.
3. FF5; what can i say? it was fun and light-hearted and a nice change from the more dramatic rpgs. it held the title for best battle system until ff10-2 came around.
4. FF13; if you couldn't tell by now, i play ff games for the gameplay moreso than the story. it doesn't get much better than ff13's battle system.
5. FF6; it was an out-of-this-world game for its time. it did things i didn't think were even possible. however, from a gameplay perspective it has some flaws for example, being conflicted between choosing characters i like vs characters that are good.
6. FF8; it did a lot of things wrong. however, the things it did right it did them extremely well. if anything, at least its a very interesting game.
7. FF7; the first 3d final fantasy was mind blowing, yet at the same time extremely dull. it was very likeable, but there wasn't anything that stood out to make it truly memorable.
the only other ones i played are 1 and 9 which i disliked. so i'm not going to bother ranking them because i feel like some of the ones i missed (particularly 4 and 12) would rank higher than them.
Not that I plan to take this too seriously, but that is a bit annoying if you're going to wait and see the results before deciding. That is a bit like deciding the winners. I didn't feel like ranking any beyond my top 3, but I've played every non-sequel, US released title. Most multiple times, and so on.
As of right now, I'm counting every vote. But I'm considering changing that if I start to see a lot of people only voting for three games. That gives those three games an unfair advantage since they're getting 3 or 4 points, and every other game gets none. I would encourage everyone to rank all or most of the FF games that they've played if you're worried about the results being as fair and accurate as possible.
decoyplatypus
Member
1. FF6
2. FF8
3. FF7
4. FF5
5. FF4
6. FF10-2
7. FF10
8. FF3
9. FF9
10. FF12
2. FF8
3. FF7
4. FF5
5. FF4
6. FF10-2
7. FF10
8. FF3
9. FF9
10. FF12
ihearthawthats
Banned
i think 5 is a fair number. theres only 14 titles in series, which means with 10 you're either a big fan of the series or your forced to give games you dislike points.
