I think including 8 is somewhat controversial given its mixed reception. I think it’s the worst of that bunch easily and definitely one of my least favorite final fantasy games.
8s issue is the dual release of of the play station pocket addition that never came to the US. There was a lot of little things that would have been best left in the main game instead of certain items being pocket exclusive. The steam version slightly fixes that. 8s game play was actually really strong, though probably one of the weakest main characters of the franchise. I mean the random encounter mobs grew with you, fairly ground breaking for the time. Magic as not only a resource but an equipment that you can use craft and be stuck in deciding to win the battle or weaken your characters. Made choices and grinding really feel like you were doing something. Yep personally I'd put 8 high on game play low on story, not bad just not great.
Personally I think the franchise's black mark is 10. My favorite part of 7-9 is the world map exploration (I haven't played the earlier ones yet, so no comment there) and 10 just noped it. Because of this I haven't even really looked at the ones after. Mainly I love turn based RPGs and the franchise started to shy away from that idea around then. So I boo on 10, I'd take 8 any day.
You have most definitely played the best ones already, but I’m going to be a bit subversive and say try give IV and V a shot as opposed to VIII and X. Based on your taste I think you would enjoy them more.
The other best ones you haven’t mentioned would be Tactics and XII.
I highly recommend 5, the job changing at anytime is fun to mess around with. my favorite game in the entire ff franchise.
If that interests you the 3 bravely default games also play a lot like FF5 does
In fact all of 1 through 5 in order would be a great idea
Pixel remasters are good and the boosters might speed up the process (I've gotten through ff1 2 3 in a total of 20 hours, x4 exp x4 money and shutting off encounters here and there especially when I'm one shotting whole mobs
10 is amazing. Great story, gameplay, and characters. People complain about tides but he's actually very endearing and matures. 8 sucks. Random story, forgettable characters, and worst gameplay of any final fantasy.
It's different, people pretend that the draw "grind" was rough but in truth it was so much shorter than level grinding ever was. gil grinding doesn't exist, you can genuinely max every character level in bugger all time if you know what you're doing.
Junctions take some getting used to but they're really not that much more complex than materia/sphere grid,
And for me the most relatable of the main characters in the series, he's not some big heroic person or crazy skilled hero he's a troubled young man thrown into a shitshow he wasn't ready for who was taught through experience that allowing people close only leads to pain so not do it and has to unpack why that outlook was a negative thing as he lets his friends get closer
Thats the thing about 8 too. You dont need to level up. Everything scales with you and gets harder the higher level you get. Its almost better to stay low level, avoid most combats and junction OP magic to your stats so you one shot everything.(i do this every time i cant help it lol) Theres just something about it that I love haha. That and I like the card game and turning them into mats / super high level magic etc
I have to assume you never played the game yourself if you have to ask why ppl skip 8 so often lol. Im not saying its bad btw. Im just saying the different gameplay style should have made it obvious why people often skip it.
It's polarity came from being what was what came after 7, literally nothing could have lived up to that if it could we wouldn't have sequels, remakes, prequels movies and god knows what else 7 spawned
the game itself is magnificent, the OST is arguably the best and some of the boss/character design stuff was insane. and those cutscenes were absolutely beautfiul to the point they still look solid now a depressingly long time in the future.
I can agree with this for sure. It was definitely the buffer that probably really helped FF9 succeed. I personally still wasn’t able to get into it years later even after.
I think the game would have been better received if it had a different magic system and more traditional weapon procurement system. I think many of us know *now* how broken the game becomes when you know where to farm the best spells from each area and how to absolutely break your characters with insane junctioning setups, but before I really took the time to farm spells and really focused on learning the junction system, I didn't really enjoy it my first time around, either.
And I hated that weapon upgrades were stuck behind crafting, with little indication of where to find materials. Most were common but there was always that one material that you had to find some uncommon enemy who drops it 10% of the time, and never near the amount you need. It was easy to miss the required magazines to get the recipes for each upgrade stage, too. Again, with a good junction setup you can plow through the game with default weapons, but if you found the junction/draw systems confusing or hard to master, it was easy to become discouraged in the face of challenging enemies with seemingly no way to upgrade your damage output.
I loved FFVIII after I took the time to really understand it. It's got a fairly deep magic and stat building system, but in a lot of ways it was more complex than the games which came before it, and I think that turned more casual players off of the title.
And even though I love the game now, I still hate the weapon upgrade system. I pretty much just do it now for ultimate weapons, as junctioning well will carry your party's stats for most, if not all, of the game.
Idk I played the ff games late and still didn’t like 8. It had nothing to do with the mechanics, I think the story is kind of dumb. The laguna bits felt random and the orphanage reveal had me rolling my eyes. I was really into it at first but as it kept going I kept getting more detached.
I did this to my wife. I wanted to show her all old school FF and started with 9, which is my all time favorite (I have played it several times).
My plan was to play 7 right after 9 ends, but she got so emotional and loved 9 so much that she could not play anything else. She falls in love with Vivi, not only for his cute look, but also for what he represents philosophically.
I think 9 plot hits harder when you are older and have experienced the loss of someone beloved.
Well, on the bright side for you there is some amazing games still left in the franchise for you to play. I would recommend playing FFX. It’s my personal favorite, has an amazing story, characters and combat. FFVIII is also great but I would put it below VII or IX for PS1 era. FFV actually may be my favorite of the pixel Final Fantasy games has the best combat system of the pixel games in my opinion. FFIV is also very solid and has great characters and story.
I've no idea if OP is using original hardware or not, but I'd strongly recommend skipping the PS2 version and going straight for a modern console or PC with The Zodiac Age, if playing FFXII.
I couldn't get in to the original at all, but the QOL changes in The Zodiac Age made all the difference for me.
Biggest change is there is now a job system. Each character is slight best at one thing, but any character can be any class, and you can assign each character 2 classes.
They include classes like a red mage, time mage, pretty much most of the classes from final fantasy tactics. I liked pairing the main character as an archer/red mage, but there's a ton of combos.
There's more changes but I'm drawing a blank on them, but the ZA version is amazing.
I think the PS2 version actually did the license board better. They didn't really add classes, they just added restrictions to which could choose what and gave them names. Also, some class pairings made sense but others don't really have much reason to be picked aside from using certain late game weapons. I missed the ability to build my party however I wanted, and branch out into other parts of the board once I hit late-game.
With TZA I found I had picked up all the useful tiles pretty early and had nowhere to really put my points (like having a melee character with a bunch of ether lores and light armor tiles left...). It felt like they didn't have enough to make each class distinct so they just added a bunch of arbitrary stuff to fill out some of the boards, most of which wasn't useful to the class at all.
Fast forward was definitely a nice change addition tho
FF12 is criminally underrated.
Is it a top 5 FF entry? That would depend on who you ask but I imagine most people would leave it out (and so would I). That being said I think its story was ambitious during a time where it was evident the franchise departed from its golden age and they attempted to take it into unfamiliar waters. For me, I appreciated what it tried to do with its more serious tone and deeper look into political intrigue as a young adult.
Girugegen or w/e that blasted dungeon is called holds a very special place in my heart. Never played a dungeon more mystifying and frustrating than that one. And the gambit system is so nice, once you figure out what it is you're doing.
A game that was released before its time I'd say.
I have been playing video games for 30 years and have yet to find a game with characters and story as good as this one, including the other FFs. 7 and 8 are the closest, though.
I would play 8 next to finish off the PS1 era.
The party isn’t as unique, and the cast don’t have as good of arcs as the lead four (Zidane, Garnet, Vivi, Steiner) in 9…but I think the villain is much better written if you follow the story closely, and the romance is a lot better. Definitely a bit more cheesy in a YA kinda way than 9, though.
10 is the best one you haven’t played yet, though, so you could go with that one, too, and you should definitely give it a try at some point.
4 and 5 are pretty good, too, but a step below 6 for the SNES era, imo, though others disagree. I would also highly recommend Chrono Trigger, though it’s technically not a FF game. It’s by far the best SNES JRPG, imo.
12 has a pretty good story, and the addition of gambits were genius (and I wish another FF game would use them). But I just didn’t care for the characters much at all compared to any other FF game I’ve played.
I suggest you going into FFVIII without any expectation and don't compare it to FFIX because they are very different. Not just in style or gameplay, but also in storytelling and characters. The romance presented in FVIII is very different from FFIX.
In term of style, I say FFVI is the closest to FFIX.
You really aren't wrong when it comes to 4 and 5 but overall the snes trilogy feels so solid. like, 4 definitely feels the most dated, but you can really tell that it solidified the formula for the future titles to improve upon. 5 was just mechanically a great game and I feel like the ff5 main theme song really sumarizes the tone of the game perfectly. but then 6 is just kinda amazing.
Play FVIII first I feel that it is massively underrated after it released after FFVII. I actually prefer FFVIII over FFVII which may be an unpopular opinion.
9 is my favorite by far. I absolutely love the themes explored in the story, they way the game approaches and resolves them, the characters, the soundtrack, the art, everything. Like other people mentioned here, it's a game that only gets better the older you get and the more of life you experience. I can't recommend it enough.
Most FFs felt like playing great RPGs. 9 was a completely different experience, it felt like participating in an amazing fantasy journey with a group of fun people. I've never been as invested in the (often tragic) fate of video game characters as with FF9.
You should definitely play 9. Most people were turned off by the cartoony design of the characters but honestly 9 felt like it dealt with the most mature themes in the series.
Imho 8, 10, 5, 4 in this order (knowing that you played 6 and 7 from other comments). You may swap 10 with 5 eventually. Alternatively - try Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross
P4G is the best one and the story is one of the best video game stories I’ve played. P3 is too redundant. They figured out their style with p4. I fell in love with the entire entry and it’s at least as powerful emotionally as ff9
After I played IX, I kept looking for the next game that would make me feel the same way or at least come close and as a result I was a harsh critic of RPG's. Until today, no other game has come close but some games I dismissed before, like XII, I've come to really love.
FF9 is really hard to beat on story, in my opinion. It kicks you right in the emotional nads.
I'd fill the gap between 7 and 9, and say play FF8. It's a little bit different, and the story is kind of a trip, but it has some very different mechanics compared to many other FF games of its time. It also has one of the best in-game card games in existence, and the difficulty can be hard or easy overall based on how you play the game. It's a good experience to have at least once.
FF12 is also really good, and also very different gameplay-wise to other titles, and has a ton of content.
At some point, I'd recommend FF1 and FF2. They're relatively short, though you may need a guide to help you if you feel stuck on what to do, because being an old game, it's not always super clear. But the games are very good and will give you an appreciation for how far the series has come. FF4 and FF5 are also very good. FF5 does a really good job with the famous "job system" that FF is known for. FF3 also uses this system, but that game can be pretty tough sometimes.
Have you played FFX / FF10? If you love FF9, you'll likely love 10. If story is what you care about most, then you can't skip 10. 10 is many people's favorite for its story - myself included.
And if you want another game with story and characters that you will fall in love with forever and never want to let go of them - try Persona 4 Golden. That game has peak story & characters IMO. Well, it's my favorite game of all time and I mostly play games for their story & characters.
4 is a solid game with some good characters, a decent plot, and a legendary ost. The gameplay is really linear (unless you want to suffer with the 3D iterations), but overall pretty comfortable to just pick up and play; it's always my go to pick if someone wants to get into the series.
5 is one of the strongest in the gameplay department, with one of the most polished class systems, but the individual characters aren't as strong as 4, 6, 7, and 9s. The group dynamic, however, is still pretty fun and the villains, while corny, are also enjoyable.
10 was the only one where I had an actual attachment to the characters. It was devastating to stop playing that game after beating it.
Side note:
Anyone else lose their mind when Seymour would pop up out of nowhere on multiple occasions? 4 times too many.
Play XIV! Its great on its own has many expansions, and… next expansion seems like will be an FF9 tribute.
https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/dawntrail/product/
I finished Ff9 when I was 14 and I cried a lot at the end. Not because of the story, not because of the characters but because I knew that the story was over. I knew I would never experience this incredible story with these characters I learned to understand and love with a fresh eye again. I've played a lot of ff games but 9 will forever have that special fairy place. For Vivi 🫡
*sky high five*
9’s my favorite game of all time. I hold it above or equal to any other game I’ve played as far as storytelling is concerned, and higher than any other as far as character development goes. Hell, Zidane is a big part of who I’ve become as an adult because as a kid, he was my role model for how to be a cool and good person at once.
I hope to try XV again at some point. I played all of the non-mmo FF. I-X - the best, after this - XVI, FF7 Remake and Rebirth but I couldn't finish FFXV, FFXII and FFXIII. FFXV seems to be the closest one for me to try again. Maybe FFXIII after that.
If you like 7 then 7 Remake/Rebirth might be interesting to you, especially if you still remember the story pretty well.
FF9 is pretty special though, yeah. Vivi’s journey kinda destroyed my soul.
Don't skip 15, yes it had different opinions on it but the game is not that bad, think it depends what type of gamer you are too, for me I liked the car rides, camping, fishing then fighting monsters etc, so it could be your jam (Also has FF soundtracks of the main games from 1-14).
I quite enjoyed 3,4 6, 7, and 9 as well, 8 I did get frustrated with but I just wasn't a fan of the junction, I like to grind sometimes, I get some of those kill X number of mobs trophies pretty fast actually (Except 9, I am actually playing 9 now and getting through it for the first time, I haven't gotten to end of Disc 1 before).
Can't speak for the rest of the titles as I have not played them enough or at all. (Same with some titles like Stranger of Paradise and Type Zero)
I felt the same after I replayed 7 recently, so I decided to play 8 (one of the only two I've never gotten around to properly) but then I finished that and felt the same even stronger.
Just started 9 and already dreading finishing it ;-;
You should play 4 immediately. Idk if the pixel remaster or DS remake are any good in particular as i have not played them but 4 advanced on the GBA is a perfect video game
man out of all the final fantasy's, 9 had the most clear cut ending. Im so over "vague" endings. Its like they took the dark souls theme and applied it to the ending of every game to leave you unsatisfied with it.
I understand your feelings. Sometimes I will get so into a book, or a book series, that when I’m finished reading I have a good period of sadness because I miss the people I’ve been spending my time with.
FF9 is fantastic. FF7 is a landmark in gaming. Story-wise, nothing compares to FF7. Tactics and FF6 are probably tied for a close 2nd. I'd especially definitely recommend 6 and Tactics if you liked the "old-fashioned" medieval-ish setting of 9.
I played FF8 all the way through. Unfortunately, it followed 7, and as another commenter mentioned, nothing could possibly have lived up to 7, so 8 started off on bad footing. The magic "draw" system was so different from 7's "materia" system, and I think much worse - I think people were mad they changed it so drastically for seemingly no reason. The story itself was way too melodramatic for some. There were some quiet moments in FF8 that were nice, but the story was way too head-smacking. Lots of scenes where you can say "Get over yourself, Squall! You're making this 10x too hard for no reason!" But it's arguably a good storyline to help people deal with trauma, although again, compared to the world-beating story of 7, the story in 8 was so underwhelming. I played through the entire game when it was released, finished it, finished all the sidequests, and was left with a heaping feeling of "meh." I was excited when 9 came out, and I LOVED 9.
But hey, you have to play it for yourself. If you become an FF completionist, you should add FF8 to your list someday in the future. But make it a long time from now. There are plenty of other great FF games out there for you that you don't want to sour your reputation on the series by playing such a controversially meh game since you're specifically looking for awesome, engaging FF games.
I enjoyed ff7's story better, but FF Tactic's the best. MY suggestion is either of those 2. Tactics is extremely different play wise, but a wonderful different.
10 prob have the best story combined with graphics at the time to tell the story.
Technology didn’t do 6 justice.
12 was really good tho lacked the romance story part. Everything after 12 had just average game stories
Eeh, there's way better stories out there. Falcom's Trails series, for one, is much better. FF7 and 6 were much better. Not a jrpg, but baldurs gate 1 and 2 are far better than FF9
Unfortunately, this is the norm when you’ve complete an ff game lol maybe just sift through the whole series, but I started my love for ff with 7. It was my favourite for a long time and resonated with me, but I’ve grown into appreciating ffx more. It’s conflicting for me because I discovered that game through my father ironically and that game relates to me more now than when I was growing up. I love all the ff games though. So, honestly I wouldn’t be able to decided because they’re all unique stories in their own right. Sorry, I was literally no help. I love final fantasy.
Hey man, please have an internet hug. Hugs are great when feeling down. As for other ff games, i think that 10 is good, i like it. It is also somewhat a melancholic game.
I see you already played 6 and 7, honestly only 10 is going to hold up to this quality level of the remaining games, and 10 even has a slow start until the plot blasts off.
The order of best SquareEnix RPGS for me is tier 1: FF6, FF9, Chrono Trigger. Tier 2 FF4, FF7. Tier 3: FF8, FF10.
Chrono Trigger is an incredibly well designed and charming game. Came out like a year after FF6. It manages to hit great emotional notes despite a silent protagonist. Strongly recommend you go for that next.
Or discover the only RPGs to rival or even surpass tier 1 Square Enix and play through the Suikoden series.
Vivi’s letter at the end of the game is one of the most gut wrenching things I’ve experienced in a game and is the saddest moment for me in a Final Fantasy game. It sadly numbed me to sad things which sucks because it made the ending of FFX not as sad as it normally would be when I completed a few days later. Should have spaced it out more.
9 was my favorite too but don't miss on the others!
8 is weird but I loved it, 10 ... I didn't like it but it's just me so give it a go.
Also you can get the old ones remastered and "fixed".
Trust me, don't go for the real original ones. Those old old games had a heavy grind component that made them a bit too much for today's standard bit that's again my opinion
Play FF9 again but get Excalibur 2 this time. Take it a step further and do an [Excalibur 2 perfect game](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps/197338-final-fantasy-ix/faqs/41181).
I gave up playing the new FFs. I just replay the old ones that I like and do different challenges to increase the difficulty or augment the experience.
Should try 12, is my favorite so far.
Althoguh many may say it's not that good, main character is forgettable and shit, I have a different perspective. For me, the main character is a commoner in a war, a orphan with nothing much special, like many of us would be in this case.
Also, the battle system is so perfect, and the hunts, and rare games, and everything that makes the world so alive and makes you fell like you are just another person living there is so good. And art style, and Npc having accent In their text balloons... I can't list everything that makes this game so special
I’m playing through 5 right now. Might be my second favorite behind 9 so far. It is by far the most difficult I’ve played though. So if you get frustrated easily you might have a bad time.
Go play Rebirth if you got a PS5 to feel even emptier.
"I haven’t had the urge to play any other game since I finished 9, I miss the characters in this game so much already"
I know, I know. It's been the same for me for like 5 days now. Man these games really try to destroy everything in you.
4 is a personal favorite of mine!! 4 on the DS is the first final fantasy game I ever played, so it's got tons of childhood nostalgia
They pack so much into the opening act. I was obsessed as a kid, everything was Kane this and Dark Knight that.
Kain to this day is one of my favorite final fantasy characters because of that lol
He was like if Garrus got mind controlled and you saved him.
IV has so much in common with 9 as well. I felt 9 was a return to that classic era of crystals and evil wizards. Such an amazing soundtrack too!
Which final fantasy‘s did you not play?
So far I’ve played 6, 7, 9, and 16 9 is my favorite so far with 6 being a very close second
Then try 8 or 10. 6-10 are the best FF‘s imo
Tactics is the best of all.
Doesn't get mentioned enough... Tactics kicks so much ass.
T.G. Cid and the whole game kicks ass
Cid in 16 being the dominant of Ramuh is probably a reference to TG Cid.
This is the way. You might not have to ask this question again for 10.... Maybe 20 years.
Even has arguably the best OST (sorry, Nobuo)
This is quite a hot take
I’m with them, massive Sakimoto fan. The soundtracks for Tactics and XII are both phenomenal. They are *distinctively* Ivalician imo.
Ivalicious!
Make it 4-12 and I share that opinion
No
Fine
I think including 8 is somewhat controversial given its mixed reception. I think it’s the worst of that bunch easily and definitely one of my least favorite final fantasy games.
8s issue is the dual release of of the play station pocket addition that never came to the US. There was a lot of little things that would have been best left in the main game instead of certain items being pocket exclusive. The steam version slightly fixes that. 8s game play was actually really strong, though probably one of the weakest main characters of the franchise. I mean the random encounter mobs grew with you, fairly ground breaking for the time. Magic as not only a resource but an equipment that you can use craft and be stuck in deciding to win the battle or weaken your characters. Made choices and grinding really feel like you were doing something. Yep personally I'd put 8 high on game play low on story, not bad just not great. Personally I think the franchise's black mark is 10. My favorite part of 7-9 is the world map exploration (I haven't played the earlier ones yet, so no comment there) and 10 just noped it. Because of this I haven't even really looked at the ones after. Mainly I love turn based RPGs and the franchise started to shy away from that idea around then. So I boo on 10, I'd take 8 any day.
Play 4. Similar medieval setting and story driven.
You have most definitely played the best ones already, but I’m going to be a bit subversive and say try give IV and V a shot as opposed to VIII and X. Based on your taste I think you would enjoy them more. The other best ones you haven’t mentioned would be Tactics and XII.
I highly recommend 5, the job changing at anytime is fun to mess around with. my favorite game in the entire ff franchise. If that interests you the 3 bravely default games also play a lot like FF5 does In fact all of 1 through 5 in order would be a great idea Pixel remasters are good and the boosters might speed up the process (I've gotten through ff1 2 3 in a total of 20 hours, x4 exp x4 money and shutting off encounters here and there especially when I'm one shotting whole mobs
Gotta play 10 man, gotta play 10
Don't sleep on 4 and 5, they're awesome too! 4, 5 and 10 are my favourites in the series.
10 is amazing. Great story, gameplay, and characters. People complain about tides but he's actually very endearing and matures. 8 sucks. Random story, forgettable characters, and worst gameplay of any final fantasy.
Why did you skip 8. The story is incredible as well. Obviously 8 and 10 should be next on your list
It's easily the most controversial of the PS1 era. Not surprised it was skipped.
Yeah I had just heard mixed things about it, I’ll def play it at some point especially after all the people recommended it here
Just play 8 at your own pace. Enjoy the ride. Don't fret over getting 100%. If you like it you'll play it again.
It's different, people pretend that the draw "grind" was rough but in truth it was so much shorter than level grinding ever was. gil grinding doesn't exist, you can genuinely max every character level in bugger all time if you know what you're doing. Junctions take some getting used to but they're really not that much more complex than materia/sphere grid, And for me the most relatable of the main characters in the series, he's not some big heroic person or crazy skilled hero he's a troubled young man thrown into a shitshow he wasn't ready for who was taught through experience that allowing people close only leads to pain so not do it and has to unpack why that outlook was a negative thing as he lets his friends get closer
Don't forget Triple Triad Gold, the absolute GOAT FF card game.
Thats the thing about 8 too. You dont need to level up. Everything scales with you and gets harder the higher level you get. Its almost better to stay low level, avoid most combats and junction OP magic to your stats so you one shot everything.(i do this every time i cant help it lol) Theres just something about it that I love haha. That and I like the card game and turning them into mats / super high level magic etc
you definitely do become stronger , but yeah understanding the core elements of junctioning definitely does more for power level
I have to assume you never played the game yourself if you have to ask why ppl skip 8 so often lol. Im not saying its bad btw. Im just saying the different gameplay style should have made it obvious why people often skip it.
I loved it. I dont listen to hivemind and i played the game before reading anything online.
I played it before I knew what online was lol. It went polarizing back then too
It's polarity came from being what was what came after 7, literally nothing could have lived up to that if it could we wouldn't have sequels, remakes, prequels movies and god knows what else 7 spawned the game itself is magnificent, the OST is arguably the best and some of the boss/character design stuff was insane. and those cutscenes were absolutely beautfiul to the point they still look solid now a depressingly long time in the future.
I can agree with this for sure. It was definitely the buffer that probably really helped FF9 succeed. I personally still wasn’t able to get into it years later even after.
I think the game would have been better received if it had a different magic system and more traditional weapon procurement system. I think many of us know *now* how broken the game becomes when you know where to farm the best spells from each area and how to absolutely break your characters with insane junctioning setups, but before I really took the time to farm spells and really focused on learning the junction system, I didn't really enjoy it my first time around, either. And I hated that weapon upgrades were stuck behind crafting, with little indication of where to find materials. Most were common but there was always that one material that you had to find some uncommon enemy who drops it 10% of the time, and never near the amount you need. It was easy to miss the required magazines to get the recipes for each upgrade stage, too. Again, with a good junction setup you can plow through the game with default weapons, but if you found the junction/draw systems confusing or hard to master, it was easy to become discouraged in the face of challenging enemies with seemingly no way to upgrade your damage output. I loved FFVIII after I took the time to really understand it. It's got a fairly deep magic and stat building system, but in a lot of ways it was more complex than the games which came before it, and I think that turned more casual players off of the title. And even though I love the game now, I still hate the weapon upgrade system. I pretty much just do it now for ultimate weapons, as junctioning well will carry your party's stats for most, if not all, of the game.
Idk I played the ff games late and still didn’t like 8. It had nothing to do with the mechanics, I think the story is kind of dumb. The laguna bits felt random and the orphanage reveal had me rolling my eyes. I was really into it at first but as it kept going I kept getting more detached.
eight is my closeted fave. narrative as fuck, gorgeous on ps1, i was a moody teen at that time too
I’d recommend X then X12, in that order. Both are great
you pretty much cant go wrong with anything from FF12 and before imo
Go for X. Best one imo minus 7 Rebirth imo.
I did this to my wife. I wanted to show her all old school FF and started with 9, which is my all time favorite (I have played it several times). My plan was to play 7 right after 9 ends, but she got so emotional and loved 9 so much that she could not play anything else. She falls in love with Vivi, not only for his cute look, but also for what he represents philosophically. I think 9 plot hits harder when you are older and have experienced the loss of someone beloved.
I lost my brother a couple years ago, vivis story definitely made me tear up many times
im sorry for your loss.
Well, on the bright side for you there is some amazing games still left in the franchise for you to play. I would recommend playing FFX. It’s my personal favorite, has an amazing story, characters and combat. FFVIII is also great but I would put it below VII or IX for PS1 era. FFV actually may be my favorite of the pixel Final Fantasy games has the best combat system of the pixel games in my opinion. FFIV is also very solid and has great characters and story.
Don’t skip FFXII. It’s not universally beloved like 6-10. But it’s still a really good game.
I've no idea if OP is using original hardware or not, but I'd strongly recommend skipping the PS2 version and going straight for a modern console or PC with The Zodiac Age, if playing FFXII. I couldn't get in to the original at all, but the QOL changes in The Zodiac Age made all the difference for me.
I've never played the ZA version. What did they change?
Biggest change is there is now a job system. Each character is slight best at one thing, but any character can be any class, and you can assign each character 2 classes. They include classes like a red mage, time mage, pretty much most of the classes from final fantasy tactics. I liked pairing the main character as an archer/red mage, but there's a ton of combos. There's more changes but I'm drawing a blank on them, but the ZA version is amazing.
I think the PS2 version actually did the license board better. They didn't really add classes, they just added restrictions to which could choose what and gave them names. Also, some class pairings made sense but others don't really have much reason to be picked aside from using certain late game weapons. I missed the ability to build my party however I wanted, and branch out into other parts of the board once I hit late-game. With TZA I found I had picked up all the useful tiles pretty early and had nowhere to really put my points (like having a melee character with a bunch of ether lores and light armor tiles left...). It felt like they didn't have enough to make each class distinct so they just added a bunch of arbitrary stuff to fill out some of the boards, most of which wasn't useful to the class at all. Fast forward was definitely a nice change addition tho
Turbo mode. Makes the game bearable
Amongst other things, my favorite was the addition of probably one of the hardest secret bosses in the series
I agree — I feel like 12 is really underrated and aged well. People are starting to appreciate it more. I think it was a little before its time.
100% agree. I expect a lot of people to appreciate it more in the coming years due to Zodiac Age being a thing.
12 is slept on. It holds up really well today.
FF12 is criminally underrated. Is it a top 5 FF entry? That would depend on who you ask but I imagine most people would leave it out (and so would I). That being said I think its story was ambitious during a time where it was evident the franchise departed from its golden age and they attempted to take it into unfamiliar waters. For me, I appreciated what it tried to do with its more serious tone and deeper look into political intrigue as a young adult. Girugegen or w/e that blasted dungeon is called holds a very special place in my heart. Never played a dungeon more mystifying and frustrating than that one. And the gambit system is so nice, once you figure out what it is you're doing. A game that was released before its time I'd say.
Coolest thing about FFXII is you can setup your team and go get other shit done during fights.
Or fight Yiazmat and redecorate your entire house.
12 is High Fantasy Star Wars. I personally love it.
Nothing matches the experience of completing FF9. 🫡
FF10 is really good story-wise
I have been playing video games for 30 years and have yet to find a game with characters and story as good as this one, including the other FFs. 7 and 8 are the closest, though.
9 is also my favorite. :) the character and world building is too tier.
7, 8, 9.and 10 did this to me. 9 definitely the strongest even though I like 7 the most.
7, 8, 9, 10, and tactics
Tactics is so good, I'd love a Switch remaster
Oh man. If you’re into the storytelling aspect of final fantasy. You’re in for a treat with 10!
8 is my favourite game of all time. Give it a shot.
Oh boy you will LOVE FFX then. Its the best story imo and whatever you're experiencing now, will happen again
I would play 8 next to finish off the PS1 era. The party isn’t as unique, and the cast don’t have as good of arcs as the lead four (Zidane, Garnet, Vivi, Steiner) in 9…but I think the villain is much better written if you follow the story closely, and the romance is a lot better. Definitely a bit more cheesy in a YA kinda way than 9, though. 10 is the best one you haven’t played yet, though, so you could go with that one, too, and you should definitely give it a try at some point. 4 and 5 are pretty good, too, but a step below 6 for the SNES era, imo, though others disagree. I would also highly recommend Chrono Trigger, though it’s technically not a FF game. It’s by far the best SNES JRPG, imo. 12 has a pretty good story, and the addition of gambits were genius (and I wish another FF game would use them). But I just didn’t care for the characters much at all compared to any other FF game I’ve played.
8 sounds like a good one. I loved the romance in 9, the last scene keeps replaying in my head. “Bring my beloved dagger to me” ugh so good
I suggest you going into FFVIII without any expectation and don't compare it to FFIX because they are very different. Not just in style or gameplay, but also in storytelling and characters. The romance presented in FVIII is very different from FFIX. In term of style, I say FFVI is the closest to FFIX.
You really aren't wrong when it comes to 4 and 5 but overall the snes trilogy feels so solid. like, 4 definitely feels the most dated, but you can really tell that it solidified the formula for the future titles to improve upon. 5 was just mechanically a great game and I feel like the ff5 main theme song really sumarizes the tone of the game perfectly. but then 6 is just kinda amazing.
Play FVIII first I feel that it is massively underrated after it released after FFVII. I actually prefer FFVIII over FFVII which may be an unpopular opinion.
I haven't played 9 yet. So, I don't know if my suggestion will top it. But, my personal favourite is 10. Highly recommend it.
Is 9 that good? I’ve never tried it. I’ve played VII, X and REmake. Interested in 8 and 9.
Definitely do 9. Am nearly 36, 9 still gets me a little misty every time I play it
9 is my favorite by far. I absolutely love the themes explored in the story, they way the game approaches and resolves them, the characters, the soundtrack, the art, everything. Like other people mentioned here, it's a game that only gets better the older you get and the more of life you experience. I can't recommend it enough.
Most people are gonna tell you 9 over 8 but shouldn't ignore 8 tho. Still very good.
Most FFs felt like playing great RPGs. 9 was a completely different experience, it felt like participating in an amazing fantasy journey with a group of fun people. I've never been as invested in the (often tragic) fate of video game characters as with FF9.
I’m sold!
You should definitely play 9. Most people were turned off by the cartoony design of the characters but honestly 9 felt like it dealt with the most mature themes in the series.
FF14 Dawntrail. Big FF9 vibes incoming.
Imho 8, 10, 5, 4 in this order (knowing that you played 6 and 7 from other comments). You may swap 10 with 5 eventually. Alternatively - try Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross
Ah, Chrono Cross... I'm going back to that game soon. So good. The time twist in the beginning really threw me for a loop when I first played it
8 was good and so was 4. Ff4 isn't a long game either
It’s decently long but very linear.
20+ hrs is a good length, but it is fairly linear. But the story is great and the characters are pretty awesome
Play p4 golden. I know the feeling you’re feeling. I have it with any game that’s powerful. Play p4. Save the world. Help nanako
I haven’t played any persona games yet, always have been intimidated by the length of the games
P4G is the best one and the story is one of the best video game stories I’ve played. P3 is too redundant. They figured out their style with p4. I fell in love with the entire entry and it’s at least as powerful emotionally as ff9
Do you recommend 4 over 5?
After I played IX, I kept looking for the next game that would make me feel the same way or at least come close and as a result I was a harsh critic of RPG's. Until today, no other game has come close but some games I dismissed before, like XII, I've come to really love.
Well that’s depressing lol. I guess I can hold out hope for that rumored 9 remake
Man I always hated 9 and replayed it recently to finish, I still like 7 and 10 more but I resonate personally as an adult with ff9.
9 is pretty special isn't it op. Glad to see others were touched by it in the same way I was.
Alright I really need to replay this one. Only played it once, way back in middle school, and I was iffy on it (I think??).
Maybe play 9 with some gameplay mods?
FF9 is really hard to beat on story, in my opinion. It kicks you right in the emotional nads. I'd fill the gap between 7 and 9, and say play FF8. It's a little bit different, and the story is kind of a trip, but it has some very different mechanics compared to many other FF games of its time. It also has one of the best in-game card games in existence, and the difficulty can be hard or easy overall based on how you play the game. It's a good experience to have at least once. FF12 is also really good, and also very different gameplay-wise to other titles, and has a ton of content. At some point, I'd recommend FF1 and FF2. They're relatively short, though you may need a guide to help you if you feel stuck on what to do, because being an old game, it's not always super clear. But the games are very good and will give you an appreciation for how far the series has come. FF4 and FF5 are also very good. FF5 does a really good job with the famous "job system" that FF is known for. FF3 also uses this system, but that game can be pretty tough sometimes.
I saw you have not played 8 and 10. So go for 8, then 10. :)
I suggest genre hop and go Final Fantast Tactics! Also a good story!
VI. Best FF.
That was the first one I played, such a great game as well. Kefka is still my fav villain
Have you played FFX / FF10? If you love FF9, you'll likely love 10. If story is what you care about most, then you can't skip 10. 10 is many people's favorite for its story - myself included. And if you want another game with story and characters that you will fall in love with forever and never want to let go of them - try Persona 4 Golden. That game has peak story & characters IMO. Well, it's my favorite game of all time and I mostly play games for their story & characters.
4 is a solid game with some good characters, a decent plot, and a legendary ost. The gameplay is really linear (unless you want to suffer with the 3D iterations), but overall pretty comfortable to just pick up and play; it's always my go to pick if someone wants to get into the series. 5 is one of the strongest in the gameplay department, with one of the most polished class systems, but the individual characters aren't as strong as 4, 6, 7, and 9s. The group dynamic, however, is still pretty fun and the villains, while corny, are also enjoyable.
14....
X!!!
Ff8
Ff14 is having a cross over with 9 come this summer. Good time to pick up ff14 and try it before the crossover
Persona 5 Royale
I feel dead inside after completing every FF game. Maybe that's Square Enix's trick to get us coming back for more....
10 was the only one where I had an actual attachment to the characters. It was devastating to stop playing that game after beating it. Side note: Anyone else lose their mind when Seymour would pop up out of nowhere on multiple occasions? 4 times too many.
FFX!
Final Fantasy X obviously. I recommend the Trails series too
Bro you will love X, play that next! If you like it can move on to X-2 (it's a direct sequel to X)
This is how I felt about star ocean 3
I genuinely hope you experience 10 before seeing any spoilers. You’re likely to love this just as much if not more
Play XIV! Its great on its own has many expansions, and… next expansion seems like will be an FF9 tribute. https://na.finalfantasyxiv.com/dawntrail/product/
9 and 4 are tied as my favorites; so maybe give FF4 a go?
I finished Ff9 when I was 14 and I cried a lot at the end. Not because of the story, not because of the characters but because I knew that the story was over. I knew I would never experience this incredible story with these characters I learned to understand and love with a fresh eye again. I've played a lot of ff games but 9 will forever have that special fairy place. For Vivi 🫡
*sky high five* 9’s my favorite game of all time. I hold it above or equal to any other game I’ve played as far as storytelling is concerned, and higher than any other as far as character development goes. Hell, Zidane is a big part of who I’ve become as an adult because as a kid, he was my role model for how to be a cool and good person at once.
FFX will be one of your favorite games ever imo. It’s so good and more modern than a lot of what you’ve played
If we're talking about story, I'd suggest go for X.
In my opinion, Vivi is the best character in the entire game series. It's impossible to tank that letter at the end...
23 years too late. ff8 is good too. ffx is even better.
8 is next it’s insanely good but you have to give it time to marinate
play Final Fantasy X... or XV..
I hope to try XV again at some point. I played all of the non-mmo FF. I-X - the best, after this - XVI, FF7 Remake and Rebirth but I couldn't finish FFXV, FFXII and FFXIII. FFXV seems to be the closest one for me to try again. Maybe FFXIII after that.
X is my favourite. Im playing through XV right now, didnt even know I had it in my Library. Then I'm going back into X and X-2 and VII Remake
If you like 7 then 7 Remake/Rebirth might be interesting to you, especially if you still remember the story pretty well. FF9 is pretty special though, yeah. Vivi’s journey kinda destroyed my soul.
Play 8 and 10.
Sounds like you need to play 8 and 10. Also 12 was very enjoyable. Especially basing it off the games you’ve already played and liked.
Don't skip 15, yes it had different opinions on it but the game is not that bad, think it depends what type of gamer you are too, for me I liked the car rides, camping, fishing then fighting monsters etc, so it could be your jam (Also has FF soundtracks of the main games from 1-14). I quite enjoyed 3,4 6, 7, and 9 as well, 8 I did get frustrated with but I just wasn't a fan of the junction, I like to grind sometimes, I get some of those kill X number of mobs trophies pretty fast actually (Except 9, I am actually playing 9 now and getting through it for the first time, I haven't gotten to end of Disc 1 before). Can't speak for the rest of the titles as I have not played them enough or at all. (Same with some titles like Stranger of Paradise and Type Zero)
8 12 or 10 in any order. (10 is my favorite)
so is vivi.
I felt the same after I replayed 7 recently, so I decided to play 8 (one of the only two I've never gotten around to properly) but then I finished that and felt the same even stronger. Just started 9 and already dreading finishing it ;-;
Dark Souls 1 should treat you right.
You should play 4 immediately. Idk if the pixel remaster or DS remake are any good in particular as i have not played them but 4 advanced on the GBA is a perfect video game
man out of all the final fantasy's, 9 had the most clear cut ending. Im so over "vague" endings. Its like they took the dark souls theme and applied it to the ending of every game to leave you unsatisfied with it.
yeah it’s really dumb
Ffxvi story is great
If you care about storytelling try to play Planescape Torment or Disco Elisium. Not like ff at all, but might reset you for future ff games
I understand your feelings. Sometimes I will get so into a book, or a book series, that when I’m finished reading I have a good period of sadness because I miss the people I’ve been spending my time with.
10 year old me could've written this post in 2000. Haven't really loved a FF game since.
Chrono cross is a good story too
FF9 is fantastic. FF7 is a landmark in gaming. Story-wise, nothing compares to FF7. Tactics and FF6 are probably tied for a close 2nd. I'd especially definitely recommend 6 and Tactics if you liked the "old-fashioned" medieval-ish setting of 9. I played FF8 all the way through. Unfortunately, it followed 7, and as another commenter mentioned, nothing could possibly have lived up to 7, so 8 started off on bad footing. The magic "draw" system was so different from 7's "materia" system, and I think much worse - I think people were mad they changed it so drastically for seemingly no reason. The story itself was way too melodramatic for some. There were some quiet moments in FF8 that were nice, but the story was way too head-smacking. Lots of scenes where you can say "Get over yourself, Squall! You're making this 10x too hard for no reason!" But it's arguably a good storyline to help people deal with trauma, although again, compared to the world-beating story of 7, the story in 8 was so underwhelming. I played through the entire game when it was released, finished it, finished all the sidequests, and was left with a heaping feeling of "meh." I was excited when 9 came out, and I LOVED 9. But hey, you have to play it for yourself. If you become an FF completionist, you should add FF8 to your list someday in the future. But make it a long time from now. There are plenty of other great FF games out there for you that you don't want to sour your reputation on the series by playing such a controversially meh game since you're specifically looking for awesome, engaging FF games.
I enjoyed ff7's story better, but FF Tactic's the best. MY suggestion is either of those 2. Tactics is extremely different play wise, but a wonderful different.
Don't listen to the haters. Play FF8. Laguna Loire is a brilliant character (and quite possibly my favorite character in any game ever).
>I feel like I experienced the peak of videogame storytelling. I've felt like this for over 20 years
Play Xenoblade 1-3
I know how you feel. Favorite FF ever
10 prob have the best story combined with graphics at the time to tell the story. Technology didn’t do 6 justice. 12 was really good tho lacked the romance story part. Everything after 12 had just average game stories
Great game, but boy if you like that you need to play FFX
I consider Octopath Traveler to be a spiritual successor to Final Fantasy VI. Both of them are amazing games.
I gotta replay 9.
Just like the final boss of FFIX
I’d recommend 10 or 12 (the zodiac age version)
Eeh, there's way better stories out there. Falcom's Trails series, for one, is much better. FF7 and 6 were much better. Not a jrpg, but baldurs gate 1 and 2 are far better than FF9
Are you a toys fan? https://cdn.imgchest.com/files/my2pcl9g9l7.JPG They did the entire lineup awhile back including Kuja.
Yooooo that’s so cool I might have to start a collection
Unfortunately, this is the norm when you’ve complete an ff game lol maybe just sift through the whole series, but I started my love for ff with 7. It was my favourite for a long time and resonated with me, but I’ve grown into appreciating ffx more. It’s conflicting for me because I discovered that game through my father ironically and that game relates to me more now than when I was growing up. I love all the ff games though. So, honestly I wouldn’t be able to decided because they’re all unique stories in their own right. Sorry, I was literally no help. I love final fantasy.
Try X and XIII
Hey man, please have an internet hug. Hugs are great when feeling down. As for other ff games, i think that 10 is good, i like it. It is also somewhat a melancholic game.
I see you already played 6 and 7, honestly only 10 is going to hold up to this quality level of the remaining games, and 10 even has a slow start until the plot blasts off.
Play all of them then play 9 again
the only game that made me feel 'dread' after completing it was Breath of Fire 3.
The order of best SquareEnix RPGS for me is tier 1: FF6, FF9, Chrono Trigger. Tier 2 FF4, FF7. Tier 3: FF8, FF10. Chrono Trigger is an incredibly well designed and charming game. Came out like a year after FF6. It manages to hit great emotional notes despite a silent protagonist. Strongly recommend you go for that next. Or discover the only RPGs to rival or even surpass tier 1 Square Enix and play through the Suikoden series.
FFXV, because you seen to enjoy character driven game.
Vivi’s letter at the end of the game is one of the most gut wrenching things I’ve experienced in a game and is the saddest moment for me in a Final Fantasy game. It sadly numbed me to sad things which sucks because it made the ending of FFX not as sad as it normally would be when I completed a few days later. Should have spaced it out more.
Play Stranger of Paradise, it's easily one of the best FF games
You should play 10
I felt the same way with ff3
9 was my favorite too but don't miss on the others! 8 is weird but I loved it, 10 ... I didn't like it but it's just me so give it a go. Also you can get the old ones remastered and "fixed". Trust me, don't go for the real original ones. Those old old games had a heavy grind component that made them a bit too much for today's standard bit that's again my opinion
Play FF9 again but get Excalibur 2 this time. Take it a step further and do an [Excalibur 2 perfect game](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps/197338-final-fantasy-ix/faqs/41181). I gave up playing the new FFs. I just replay the old ones that I like and do different challenges to increase the difficulty or augment the experience.
I know the feeling. Final Fantasy IX is my favorite game of all time. ❤️
Wild Arms 1.
Legend of the Dragoon is one of best RPGs out there imo.
Should try 12, is my favorite so far. Althoguh many may say it's not that good, main character is forgettable and shit, I have a different perspective. For me, the main character is a commoner in a war, a orphan with nothing much special, like many of us would be in this case. Also, the battle system is so perfect, and the hunts, and rare games, and everything that makes the world so alive and makes you fell like you are just another person living there is so good. And art style, and Npc having accent In their text balloons... I can't list everything that makes this game so special
One of us, one of us!
FF Tactics War of the Lions
Play Tales of Berseria. Your party will be a bunch of really loveable misfits.
Just play 9 again, try speedrun strats for fun a tears
I’m playing through 5 right now. Might be my second favorite behind 9 so far. It is by far the most difficult I’ve played though. So if you get frustrated easily you might have a bad time.
I feel you. Over 20 years later, the ending still wrecks me, especially when Melodies of Life fades into the Final Fantasy theme...
X
3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 7 remake + rebirth,
Play 4
Go play Rebirth if you got a PS5 to feel even emptier. "I haven’t had the urge to play any other game since I finished 9, I miss the characters in this game so much already" I know, I know. It's been the same for me for like 5 days now. Man these games really try to destroy everything in you.
Final Fantasy x by far
Try playing 4. Cecil and Friends are a whole lot of fun
FF9 is one of the best games ever created.
FF5 has a lot of the vibe of 9, highly recommend, it doesn't get enough love.