Support NeoGAF

[GDGF]

They got their number one right.

Still my favorite RPG of all time.

 

[worldrunover]

No X2 on the list?

...

...

*backs out slowly*

 

[djtiesto]

3 is waaaay too low, it's a solid game that for some reason, isn't liked very much in the west. On this list, 10 is too high, 5 is too low.

 

[adamsapple]

Fuck the hate for XII. That game was absolutely brilliant. Should be at no 3 at least.

 

[TheChaos]

Fuck the hate for XII. That game was absolutely brilliant. Should be at no 3 at least.

Ditto. The world felt like a coherent world unlike a bunch of other games where it felt just a mishmash of ideas. Sucks we won't see any more Ivalice games anymore (at least I don't think we will) as it's a really awesome concept.

 

[Mandoric]

3 is waaaay too low, it's a solid game that for some reason, isn't liked very much in the west. On this list, 10 is too high, 5 is too low.

It's 3's position on the list that made me read it and assume that the OP posted in best-to-worst order, and only 6's that made me realize reality (though 2 helped.) I'm not sure 3's hogging of the Japanese charts sits completely well with me, but at the same time it's amazing in terms of narrative, scope, and variety for a Famicom game in the same way that 6 is for the SNES.

 

[djtiesto]

It's 3's position on the list that made me read it and assume that the OP posted in best-to-worst order, and only 6's that made me realize reality (though 2 helped.) I'm not sure 3's hogging of the Japanese charts sits completely well with me, but at the same time it's amazing in terms of narrative, scope, and variety for a Famicom game in the same way that 6 is for the SNES.

Exactly... aside from maybe DQ4 and Phantasy Star, it's really in a league of its own as far as 8-bit RPGs go. The scope of the world is pretty big, the Job system was reasonably creative for the time (and laid the groundwork for the FF5 system, which is one of my favorite systems ever in a game), not to mention Nobuo really made the Famicom soundchip sing. The various Airships, the submarine, the exploration and nonlinearity (well, all 3 Fami FFs had a deal of nonlinearity)...

Perhaps if FF3 got a US release on the NES, it would be much more fondly remembered. My first game in the series was 1, which was an instant favorite game of mine when it came out in America, and I see FF3 as a fantastic followup (as opposed to the broken and poorly-designed 2). I think most peoples exposure to FF3 was the recent DS remake, which was reasonably well-done, apart from having too few enemies on screen at a time.

 

[Mandoric]

Exactly... aside from maybe DQ4 and Phantasy Star, it's really in a league of its own as far as 8-bit RPGs go. The scope of the world is pretty big, the Job system was reasonably creative for the time (and laid the groundwork for the FF5 system, which is one of my favorite systems ever in a game), not to mention Nobuo really made the Famicom soundchip sing. The various Airships, the submarine, the exploration and nonlinearity (well, all 3 Fami FFs had a deal of nonlinearity)...

Perhaps if FF3 got a US release on the NES, it would be much more fondly remembered. My first game in the series was 1, which was an instant favorite game of mine when it came out in America, and I see FF3 as a fantastic followup (as opposed to the broken and poorly-designed 2). I think most peoples exposure to FF3 was the recent DS remake, which was reasonably well-done, apart from having too few enemies on screen at a time.

That's basically it. There was a very distinct style shift that occured between 3 and 4, and only has again between 6 and 7 and then between 10 and 11 (and then back for the non-online ones), and makes the highest-production-valued "old" one extremely nostalgic. I played it after 7 but before 8, and didn't get the full impact, but it's still something pretty special; if I'd only played the DS version, I'd still like it, because you can't -hate- something with those mechanics and added Yoshida art, but it'd be middling rather than high.
I'm fond of 2 on its own merits, but it makes a very poor Final Fantasy 2 and an excellent SaGa 0.5.

On the other hand, I'm perfectly comfortable with 11 as the best, so what do I know.

 

[Kinan]

Fuck the hate for XII. That game was absolutely brilliant. Should be at no 3 at least.

We just need to wait until FFXIII is released here, so all hate would shift to that one, and appreciation of XII will grow immensely.

 

[NeoZylom]

I like how GAF Threads are always the same when there is a "top" list. Everybody complain about #1 and try to modify the list so it fits their tastes. (Even if it's not their list). I guess GAF will never be happy with others choice ...

Spoiler

At least they got the last one right ... lol

 

[Freyjadour]

Could be. However, the nostalgia argument is kind of tiresome. When I pick a list of the best films and see Gone with the Wind, Citizen Kane, Psycho, The Godfather, The Shining or others, the last thing I would think of is "That is nostalgia speaking, this one is better."

It all depends on what "holding up" means. Technical aspects? Plot wise? Characters? Same with those saying FFVII doesn't hold well nowadays technically. That would mean people never played it for the plot but instead for the CGI and the 3D, which would be a pity.

My point wasn't that it is an older game, more so that I don't think people have replayed VI in quite a long while.

It was certainly a "let's try new things" sort of game, but stuff that might have impressed me then just irritates me now. "In and out" party members, forced use of 12 out of 14 members, the entire second half of the game being "find everyone, find espers, kefka", the Narshe War sequence, etc. I've never understood the love for Kefka either. I'm no fan of Sephiroth, but he had quite a bit of convincing backstory for making the decisions he made.

And by holding up, I mean overall. Obviously I wouldn't consider VII to be one of the best if I was only considering the graphical side of things.

 

[Red Scarlet]

We just need to wait until FFXIII is released here, so all hate would shift to that one, and appreciation of XII will grow immensely.

It's possible to dislike more than one thing at a time though.

 

[Azelover]

FF12 is far too low.

Personally, I just can't agree. Believe me, I tried to love this game.

It's not for everybody, even if you've been a Final Fantasy fan.

 

[lobdale]

XI in last place? XII in ninth? Another case of IGN not actually playing the games they pass judgment on!

This is an

IGN Caliber List

CONGRATS!!!!!!!! You win the prize

 

[Darkpen]

Fucking hell. Shit list is shit.

I've been actively avoiding clicking on this thread for a while now, but for the first thing to see upon entering being FFXI being listed last? Fuck you, IGN.

Shit list is shit. Ignorant fucks.

 

[Ourobolus]

My research has uncovered scientific proof that FFV deserves the top spot.

That thread was so much damn fun. Once I beat that challenge I tried with a Red Mage, Berserker, Bard, and...I can't remember the last class - might have been Dancer (basically going for the worst possible combination) and got my ass handed to me later on in the game. Then my HDD failed and I lost my save. :'(

I'll try it again later - currently doing a no-esper run in FF6.

EDIT: It was Elementalist, and I had managed to make it to Necrophobe. :'(

 

[Dragmire]

FFVII shouldn't even be on the list.


I kid, but for me it was a mediocre, unfinished RPG with good art and music, yet somehow awful graphics. And the gameplay................. (endless

Spoiler

life

stream of ellipses........)

 

[ReyBrujo]

This is why FF isn't as strong as DQ in Japan. Square reinvents the series in every game, changing everything from graphics to the combat system. That can create a problem, since people who liked a system won't accept the next one, and will be forever stuck with a single game in the series.

Not saying it should stay close to its roots like DQ, but I would prefer the series to, at least, stay within the same world... then again, I read Dragonlance novels and prefer having a flow chart of characters and locations in my head when reading a new novel.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

Ditto. The world felt like a coherent world unlike a bunch of other games where it felt just a mishmash of ideas. Sucks we won't see any more Ivalice games anymore (at least I don't think we will) as it's a really awesome concept.

Well if the rumors of SE taking up Fortress are true then we could still see more Ivalice, unfortunately it wont be Matsuno's Ivalice.

 

[NIN90]

I liked Blitzball. Fuck you, guys.

 

[Nolan.]

I agree with a lot of the poitions though I strongly disagree with IX being so low, Awww poor ix.

 

[Fimbulvetr]

I liked Blitzball. Fuck you, guys.

 

[Redd]

I liked Blitzball. Fuck you, guys.

Loved Blitzball too once I could recruit new players. Out of the original team all I kept was Wakka and Tidus.

 

[Zek]

FF8 is too high. Certainly deserves to be below FF5/9/12. FFX-2 should be on there somewhere, hard to say where - the story was garbage but it was probably the series' peak in gameplay. FF1 is hard to rank too, from an objective standpoint it's one of the worst just because it's so outdated.

 

[xxjuicesxx]

Goddamnit now I have to replay FF6.

 

[BobTheFork]

I liked Blitzball. Fuck you, guys.

I hated Blitzball, but I played it over and over again until I got that ultimate weapon.

 

[GSG Flash]

8 and 9 are better than 10 and 12 should be just one spot below 10 so I disagree completely with that list.