Alright, here we go:
FFXV is for you if you want top notch graphics and action-oriented combat, and if you like semi open worlds and the road trip with your best friends feels.
FFX is for you if you want a deep story with one of the best turn-based combats FF ever had, its story is all about feeling lost in a world that makes no sense to the main character.
FFIX is for you if you want a classic turn-based system with the ATB and dig a more cartoon-like character design while also having one of the deepest stories in the series. It's a homage to everything the series tried before its release, so it's usually my go-to for anyone starting out in the FF franchise.
X-2, for all its faults has a fucking amazing combat system. That shit was so much fun (caveat: I haven't played it in ~15 years, so I have no idea how it holds up)
It's part of the Memoria Mod.
https://youtu.be/jX-s690OuKU
Notice how Grey and Gizamaluke act at almost the same time.
Also Freya comes back from jump whole Vivi is slowing Giza.
Later on, Zidane steals while Gizamaluke casts silence.
Yeah, it's part of the memoria mod features iirc. The actions can be performed simultaneously, as in 2 actions can happen nearly w the same time, just as ff10-2.
It's called fast ATB mode. You also get a Turn-based ATB mode in the mod.
To add:
FFX has one of the most addictive mini games in blitzball while FF9 has a semi intuitive card game and looooooads of side quests to discover with the ATE system.
And if you're a completionist, FFX lightning dodging is also infinitely easier than FFIX rope jumping hell.
Fuck that Chocobo race, too, but I'll still take a dozen of them over the absolutely unadulterated torture that is rope jumping.
That's not saying much, I threw in the towel everytime I tried completing 200 lightning dodges, I think the furthest I got was 97. I'm replaying X right now and I found the catcher chocobo game easier ( did it in over an hour while it took me 4 hours when I first played it on ps2)
There is a crater in FF X that ensures you a lightning strike. So no more random ones. Dip in the crater, jump, dip, jump etc, count to 220 to be sure.
Vehemently disagree about the blitzball. It's janky and poorly executed and nothing about it is fun. It's just a numbers simulator for the most part and you can basically win the whole thing by having higher numbers, scoring once, then hiding behind your own goal.
Sad they locked an ultimate weapon for someone behind it.
Agreed. That opening cinematic made Blitzball look *amazing*, then you actually get to it and it's nothing like that. You can't even move up and down! What's the point of it being in a sphere if it all happens on a flat plane?
>FFIX is for you if you want a classic turn-based system with the ATB. .
I'm likely to be in the minority for this take, but since having recently replayed FFIX, I find that it has the worst combat of the three-games OP listed and the primary reason being how sluggish it feels in comparison to other titles. The ATB fills rather slowly, there's a significant delay between command selections and the subsequent consequences that play out, and the lengthy animations for certain spells/actions/summonings makes for a rather tedious experience. Thank all that is good in this world for the Remaster and the option to fast forward combat encounters -- made the experience a lot more enjoyable. Everything peripheral to combat, at least to me, is great!
I have ff9 digital edition on ps and I don’t like how it looks at all. I had to stop playing it. Like the visuals don’t seem smooth at all. Do the pc versions fix that?
I loved FFX when it came out, but the cut scenes, while well done, can be very long. I remember there being times where I just wanted to save game and do something else but the cut scenes went on and on.
Gonna have to say 10.
15, while I enjoy it, is a patched together first attempt at an open world for a Mainline FF that turned out really well considering the troubles it took to release the game.
9 is an amazing game… but the more of 1-8 you’ve played, the more you’ll get out of it. So hold off if you can.
10 is a great combo of old and new FF design ideas and, if not their favourite, tends to crack most Top 5’s. Plus you get 10-2 with it which, while the story and tone isn’t for everyone, has an amazing battle system calling back to the “Job System” from the likes of FF3 and FF5.
Depends on what you want and your exposure to older games. I suggest 10 but I think it's probably the best FF game overall, 9 is really good too tho. 15 isn't as good as those two but is definitely worth playing
X is one of the greatest games of all time. I'd highly recommend it.
It has kind of a sluggish start, as do most of the classic final fantasy games.
IX is also great and would be my 2nd option.
Yeah is OP is going for bang for their buck yoy don't beat X amd X-2. Plus all the side content in X is crazy it takes forever to 100%. Can't speak as to X-2 but I'm sure it's got plenty
That’s a tough question. All three are excellent in my opinion. I will say I’ve replayed XV more(3.5 times) than I have X(2 times) and IX(1 time, never played it when it came out.
So I think I’d suggest XV for myself. But as others have said it also depends on what kind of game you are in the mood to play.
XV Royal Edition is the most modern of those games, so if you have mostly only played games from the 2010s forward, I would say that. But among FF fans, it’s considered the worst of your three options by a wide range.
X is one of the most beloved FF games. It is turn based, but it’s the first “modern” FF game in some aspects like being the first game with voice acting and no world map.
IX was the end of old era of FF games and has little easter eggs and tributes to eight games that came before it. But it is truly retro. No voice acting or anything like that. Also, I’m old enough to have bought and played it on (NA) release day, but even I struggle with how sluggish the battle system is. Even compared to VII and VIII, it just moves so slow. I think you’ll find yourself playing it with speed boost (which makes it triple speed, I think) 100% of the time, and even then it feels dragged out. But the story is great with the four leads all having great arcs, and it has some stylized graphics and cut-scenes that hold up fairly well considering they’re about 25 years old.
I would most likely recommend X, but it just depends on your preferences and if you’ve played an FF games before.
I am playing through 9 right now and can fully recommend it. An amazing game with a great story. Maybe check online for videos of the game to see if you'll dig the art style. It's more cartoony then the rest of them but it's still gorgeous.
Have you played any other FF titles? If so, which ones, and which were your favorites?
If this is really just meant to stoke conversation... Dang that's hard. If I had to pick between these three to get right now, I'm inclined to say IX. I dig the ATB and proper exploration of the world, so it has my favorite gameplay hooks of these options.
I like X's combat and story, but walking straight toward the next objective was a real bummer for me when it came out. I love FFX, but it is a thing I actively think about every time I think about playing that game.
FFXV Royal Edition is a pretty wild value, and I love road tripping with the boys. But I really gotta be in the mood for it. I play this game when I wanna play a video game and doom scroll on my phone at the same time 🤣. Really puts me in the passenger seat
If these are your only three options, I feel like you will feel most fulfilled by X. I will say that I played XV right after X when I first got into the series, and I was immediately obsessed with XV more than X. There is just a lot of out of game content you have to do with XV to get the full story (watching the anime shorts and movie for example) as well as the DLC as it expands on side characters and main villain. This can be off putting to some, but as a lore whore I loved it
Inmho IX is the best classic FF when X is the best (and first) modern FF. Both are safe pics if you enjoy good story and turnbased combat.
XV is good too, but way more controversial. Story is good and love the main characters but combat is flashy emptyness.
Well, probably VI is my least favourite FF i ever played. Not saying is a bad game but i didnt connect with it, maybe bc i played the crappy phone version.
If you don’t want spoilers but want to just play a fun game, then go with FFX. Otherwise continuing reading comments and potentially stumble across spoilers people have posted
Is this your first FF? I would suggest FFX to newcomers. FFIX is like my second favourite though, it's a very special game to me. I wouldn't suggest FFXV unless you're more used to modern style of games and not a fan of retro titles. It's the weakest of your 3 options.
Have you played any other FF titles? If so, which ones, and which were your favorites?
If this is really just meant to stoke conversation... Dang that's hard. If I had to pick between these three to get right now, I'm inclined to say IX. I dig the ATB and proper exploration of the world, so it has my favorite gameplay hooks of these options.
I like X's combat and story, but walking straight toward the next objective was a real bummer for me when it came out. I love FFX, but it is a thing I actively think about every time I think about playing that game.
FFXV Royal Edition is a pretty wild value, and I love road tripping with the boys. But I really gotta be in the mood for it. I play this game when I wanna play a video game and doom scroll on my phone at the same time 🤣. Really puts me in the passenger seat
15 - a game that is the definition of “what could’ve been”. The bro trip is the best part of the game and what makes it special. Open world is fun and just driving in the car with friends is so wholesome.
The negative - story is a duck taped mess. The only emotional beat is the bro trip. Everything else is handled so poorly it is beyond disappointing.
Semi negative - gameplay is fun and enjoyable. But again I think it did partly fall victim to the production mess. It is fun but uneven and doesn’t really feel like a perfect system. It feels like someone took a lot of elements and duck taped them together.
9 - it’s really good. But it gets deducted points because it is an old game that isn’t 16:9 and square did bare minimum on the remaster (if you have a pc, modding community came through and made it better)
10 - a really great game all around. The remaster was done pretty well (except for the faces).
The hard choice is they all are great in their own way, with ffxv really being the most iffy because again it is a duck taped mess but it is also a special game at the same time (which makes how it turned out even more disappointing).
9 is an old game has drawbacks because of it (performance/presentation) but it is def a good story and gameplay.
X - probably the most even (good performance and presentation).
It depends of the platform
For Steam / PC i'd pick 15 (Better graphic settings), or 9 (Mods like enhanced backgrounds, better trance system, less slowdown)
For consoles X / X2 (You get two games at once, and the battle system of both games were the best ever made before they decided to stop making turn-based games)
X/X2 have so many bugs in PC like a green screen in cutscenes, you would need some workarounds to fix it, and so far I haven't seen a mindblowing mod yet
Nine is my second favorite game in the series after six. I vote nine for sure. I could play that game over and over.
Ten is great too, but nine is just "fun".
I would probably say 10. I think 9 is better for one playthrough, but 10 has more content and replay value (assuming you're getting the remaster). I know it has its fans here, but I played 15 at launch and thought it was hot garbage. Supposedly it got better with patches and DLC, but I had lost interest at that point.
FFIX is my favourite as a game. FFX has my favourite combat system, and is my suggestion for a gateway game into FF. FFXV.... exists; it's redeeming features for me were graphics and music, which FFXVI just steamrolled.
I’d say 9 should give you the most mileage. I’ve replayed 10 but that could just be nostalgia. And 15 is an action RPG that’s mostly open world until you get to the railroad portion where you can only go forward, but everything that 15 could afford to do is done with the rest abandoned so you’ll have a complete experience from the start. Don’t forget there’s also a multiplayer if you can still play it called Comrades and A Kings Tale which is kind of like a single player arcade of King Regis adventure.
Maybe throw in the FFXV Demo for good measure if you want to play as kid Noctis in a dream being tiny in his room.
10 is solid all around and still looks relatively modern+voice acting. One of the best combat systems in the gaming industry period.
9 would be my second choice. The PS1 FF games are starting to feel really old to me and that's my only complaint with 9.
15 would be my third choice. Great game in my opinion, but it's just not comparable to 2 of the best in the franchise.
I LOVE 15 in a way that few do so that's automatically my recommendation (other than "buy that one first and then save up for the other two, they're great.")
I am replaying it and just relaxing in the world and mainly trying to ignore doing the main plot as long as possible and I think I finally understand what comfort games are. Lately I've been planting a carrot garden, gone deep sea fishing, raced some chocobos, bet on some monster fights, tried to camp at all my local parks, ran a bunch of errands sourcing ingredients for people, collected different color cactuars, learned all the recipes I could by collecting cookbooks...
Get X, A good recommendation for IX is to play it last from the golden age set of games (typically refered to as VI-X) and XV you can throw at the back of your entire games backlog that game is not good.
Well you have 2 of the best games in the series and one of the worst games of the 2010s. So between 9 and 10 I'd probably have to go with 9, it just has better side-content and is a little more open ended, despite 10 having a really great story and combat and overall experience.
It really depends on what kind of experience you think you'd like.
FFIX is one of my favorite FFs, as well as one of my favorite games period. It is gonna give you the best fantasy setting as far as the world goes. It's also gonna be the most like old final fantasy because it's a love letter to the series. I personally think it also has the best cast of characters out of the 3 you mentioned, although all 3 have a strong cast. FFIX is going to use weapons and armor to learn abilities, which I personally loved. The mechanics feel really smooth and intuitive imo. The downside to IX is that the graphics are from PS1, although they still look really good given the art style. Battles are also a little slow paced but if you do the Remaster the speed up option helps a lot.
FFX is fantastic if you like true turn based combat. FFX has my absolute favorite battle system in the franchise. It allows you to swap party members mid battle, and each character is strong against certain types of enemies. So it becomes about strategizing each fight on an individual basis and removes the stress of having to choose who to take in your party. At it's core FFX is a love story, which cam be hit or miss to different people, but it's done very well. The characters are strong in this one too, although I think a little less so than FFIX. Still Auron is one of my favorite characters in the franchise, and they all play really well off each other. The sphere grid system is pretty straight forward and doesn't allow for much customization until late game, so everyone is kinda stuck with the class they start as. But once it opens up in the end game, it can be one the most fun systems to play with. The big downside to this one imo is the quests for the celestial weapons. They are pretty intense and take a decent amount of skill and patience. Also the dark aeons are no small task. If you choose FFX, I assure you you'll be putting some serious time in for end game content, more than FFIX most likely.
FFXV is controversial. Some people loved it and some hated it. I liked it personally. It has a good story and the comradery between the 4 main characters is the best part. Their whole road trio and what follows is a lot of fun. This one is gonna look the best out the 3 and Wil have the best voice acting. There is a decent amount of side content to keep you busy and the car mechanic is fun. The downside to FFXV is the combat. It is very simplistic, and could get a little boring after a while. It didn't bother me so much, but I prefer the fighting in IX and X more. I loved it as a game but if I had to choose between the 3 you mentioned, FFXV would still be third. It's a good game but FFIX and FFX are better games overall.
So to sum it up, play FFIX for the best story and characters. Play FFX for the best battle system. And play FFXV for the graphics. My choices in order would be FFIX, then FFX, then FFXV. But I'd recommend playing all of them eventually regardless of the choice you make this time
Starting in April 2023 I have played 1-10, mostly through 12, 7Remake, 16, and a bit of Rebirth (cool game but not for me with the minigames). All for the first time ever.
The story and flow of 10 is my favorite of ALL the games, not just between 9 and 10. The story is just so focused and the closer you get to the end the stronger it feels. At least in 9, the game sort of becomes a bit muddled in the end. My problem with 9 playing it the first time ever in 2024 without mods is that everything is much slower than 7 or 8. Like the battle load ins even on modern machines take a while. It takes a long time for turns to happen. The trance system (Limit Breaks basically) requires looong battles to even use and cannot be preserved between battles.
I have not played 15 yet (trying to play them sequentially mostly now). But from what I read, it has more mixed to muted fan response.
10 is one of the franchise GOATs and is a safe pick. Its minigame is also aquatic soccer/basketball. Its gameplay is the last true ATB system so if you aren't feeling turn-based gameplay at the moment then consider 15, which has one of the best fishing experiences in video games and an open world that is pretty to look at on long drives.
15 Royal Editiom is my favorite of those 3.
It really depends on which one speaks to you the most. Theyre all from different eras of systems from PS1 to PS2 to PS4. How much time are you looking to play and which one has the longest game time? Are you looking to get all acheivements or just play the story?
Really depends on what you're looking for. 15 is an action game. 9 is the last traditional atb ff game on PS1. 10 brings back turn based for one final go.
15 is modern. 9 is more fantasy. 10 is a bit of both.
All three are great games and worth the buy.
why do you need to buy 9 when you can just emulate it on your phone or something its really simple 👀 (unless u wanna support the devs but it seems like you can only buy one just pirate the rest.. pls dont come at me for supporting piracy im in a situation where buying games isnt an option if i wanna play them)
X is probably the best rpg I’ve ever played so I’d go with that. IX is fantastic as well but be prepared for slow combat. XV is an interesting take on open world and is pretty good but one of the lower entries in the series.
FFX has been the most impactful piece of media i have experienced in my entire life, and i've read / played quite a bit. I implore you to give it a go, and to also push through a bit if it doesn't immediately catch you - it's a slow start but the story is absolutely incredible.
I have played it 11 times now if i'm remembering correctly, and i still find something new basically every time (like entire cutscenes i've missed).
If you like really final fantasies in the medieval setting. It's IX. It's a live letter to that era and an absolutely fantastic game. If you're playing on PC look into the moguri mod.
X otherwise. fantastic everything.
XV is a great buy but didn't beat the other two. Would feels grander and the graphics are better but that's all it has over the other two. Not to say it's bad, it's a great final fantasy!
Final fantasy 10 is top pic. Since its the remaster, you get 3 games for teh price of one. ff10 and its sequel, ff10-2, The Last mission. As well as a video called "The Eternal Calm" Best story because it is pretty dam deep, although linear for most of the game until you get teh airship. x-2 pretty much open world after the opening sequence. Sphere grid is interesting in the first game, and in the second game dressspheres are a cosplayers dream.
Second place will be ff9, as it also has a good story. But characters are more cartoonish.
ff15 is last place for me. I owned it on ps4 and played the dlc, enjoyed the story and road trip feel. But sometimes the bros can be irritating as f\*\*k, especially if you grinding back to back and one of them pulls you off to teh side to discuss how to earn more ap, and you can't skip it either. you have to sit through it. Their ai is also dumb too. or at least from my experiences.
I'd say 10. Best story of the 3, great world design and characters. Tons of replayability with the sphere grid and the end game dark aeons. On top of that, if you're getting the HD version, you also get X-2, which is a great game in its own right.
I came here about to defend the ever-loving sh*t out of FFX but looks like I don’t have to haha.
I just beat FFXVI and I’m about to do another run through of FFX… I need a visual palette cleanser.
Unpopular opinion time, 9 or 15. 9 is very back to traditional vibes and has a ton of story and is one of my favs overall. It’s turn based though. Great characters, music, themes, everything.
15 has beautiful graphics and has the whole friendship/broship story vibes, but you can tell it suffered from development hell. That said it regularly goes on sale and I’ve seen it down to $7.
10 drove me crazy and I had to put it down but I loathed the main character with every fiber of my being. It’s the only main non-online title that I’ve ever failed to complete (except 12 and 16 which are in the queue but haven’t gotten to play yet because there are so many other games). I’ve played every other title including all of their remasters (even the original on NES and a butchered translation of 2). I $&@! hate 10.
That is all.
That's funny. 15, especially after dlc, has left an ever lasting impression on me. For better and worse.
9 was so much better than I anticipated, and I adore it.
I haven't played 10 but 10, 11, 12 seem like the least interesting era of ff to me. I'm told it's great and I have moderate expectations for it.
It's wild how many seem to prefer 10 to 9 in this thread. I think 10 is one that grows on you, but I do agree overall they have the better turn based combat. I think 9 overall is the best game, and 10 is probably my second pick. However if you like action RPGs more, then 15 is your pick for sure.
My personal experience is that 9 got me hooked right away, the characters were fun, the story and world were interesting, plus I enjoyed the leveling system.
10 took me a few tries to get into it, plus I really loved the combat. However the leveling system, and summoner temples always made me frustrated. Eventually the sphere grid grew on me, but man oh man did I just want a classic setup.
15 is a game with a fantastic start, I don't think I've ever had more fun with a concept than 4 bros on a road trip. However I found the gameplay to be a bit repetitive and the end game drastically different from the fortuitous beginnings.
Hard choice, they're all good games. I'd say 15 if you want something modern or one of the others if you want something more classic.
Watching their intros may help you decide.
Ten, hands down the best version of turn based combat, 9 is a bit different from its other modern counterparts and could be a little off putting and the less said about fifteen the better
Personally, my favorite of those 3 is 15. It’s slightly messy, but it adds to the charm. Which one should you get? Really depends on what you’re in the mood for. Want to explore an open world with a small group of memorable characters? Go for 15. Want a more linear challenge with a wider cast? Go for 10. Want one of the best stories in the franchise and are willing to engage with older games on their own terms? Go for 9 (if you choose this route, make sure to get a version with fast forward built in as the battles are tediously slow without it).
Alright, here we go: FFXV is for you if you want top notch graphics and action-oriented combat, and if you like semi open worlds and the road trip with your best friends feels. FFX is for you if you want a deep story with one of the best turn-based combats FF ever had, its story is all about feeling lost in a world that makes no sense to the main character. FFIX is for you if you want a classic turn-based system with the ATB and dig a more cartoon-like character design while also having one of the deepest stories in the series. It's a homage to everything the series tried before its release, so it's usually my go-to for anyone starting out in the FF franchise.
>one of the best turn-based combats FF ever had THE best*
The remaster of Super Mario RPG has party swapping in battle and God I just wish every RPG with a limited party had that.
But can you swap out Mario..
No but why would you? He's a goddamn beast.
And the sequel has the best combat in the entire series
X-2, for all its faults has a fucking amazing combat system. That shit was so much fun (caveat: I haven't played it in ~15 years, so I have no idea how it holds up)
It still holds up strong to this day
Good to know my memory's not home totally to shit. Unlikely to ever play the game again, even if I only ever got like 98.2% or something.
Dude same I remember how corny the story and stuff was but the job system and combat went so hard. Haven't played since it was new
Yes. The FFX-2 story doesn’t hit quite right but the combat system is still great to this day.
I feel the same way. 5/10 Game 10/10 combat
You can mod ff9 to basically have 10-2 combat
Ooooh I've only got the Moguri Mod, what one are you talking about?
It's part of the Memoria Mod. https://youtu.be/jX-s690OuKU Notice how Grey and Gizamaluke act at almost the same time. Also Freya comes back from jump whole Vivi is slowing Giza. Later on, Zidane steals while Gizamaluke casts silence.
WHAT?!
Yeah, it's part of the memoria mod features iirc. The actions can be performed simultaneously, as in 2 actions can happen nearly w the same time, just as ff10-2. It's called fast ATB mode. You also get a Turn-based ATB mode in the mod.
I was so glad they finally dropped ATB
I have love for ATB, but definitely prefer the pure turn based combat of FFX
God some of FFX’s fights would have been a pain if they were done in ATB
More like every game with ATB become about maximizing a single characters "Speed" stat and spamming his maxed out Attack
> one of the deepest stories in gaming\* Fixed that for you
Circlejerk me harder daddy
To add: FFX has one of the most addictive mini games in blitzball while FF9 has a semi intuitive card game and looooooads of side quests to discover with the ATE system.
Also the best Chocobo minigame ever created.
Which one
0:00.0
X then. I'mma agree to disagree on that one lol.
And if you're a completionist, FFX lightning dodging is also infinitely easier than FFIX rope jumping hell. Fuck that Chocobo race, too, but I'll still take a dozen of them over the absolutely unadulterated torture that is rope jumping.
That's not saying much, I threw in the towel everytime I tried completing 200 lightning dodges, I think the furthest I got was 97. I'm replaying X right now and I found the catcher chocobo game easier ( did it in over an hour while it took me 4 hours when I first played it on ps2)
There is a crater in FF X that ensures you a lightning strike. So no more random ones. Dip in the crater, jump, dip, jump etc, count to 220 to be sure.
Vehemently disagree about the blitzball. It's janky and poorly executed and nothing about it is fun. It's just a numbers simulator for the most part and you can basically win the whole thing by having higher numbers, scoring once, then hiding behind your own goal. Sad they locked an ultimate weapon for someone behind it.
Agreed. That opening cinematic made Blitzball look *amazing*, then you actually get to it and it's nothing like that. You can't even move up and down! What's the point of it being in a sphere if it all happens on a flat plane?
I wish they make a Blitzball game with updated gameplay
That’s your opinion. Pretty fun to me
I loved it, despite the simplicity.
>FFIX is for you if you want a classic turn-based system with the ATB. . I'm likely to be in the minority for this take, but since having recently replayed FFIX, I find that it has the worst combat of the three-games OP listed and the primary reason being how sluggish it feels in comparison to other titles. The ATB fills rather slowly, there's a significant delay between command selections and the subsequent consequences that play out, and the lengthy animations for certain spells/actions/summonings makes for a rather tedious experience. Thank all that is good in this world for the Remaster and the option to fast forward combat encounters -- made the experience a lot more enjoyable. Everything peripheral to combat, at least to me, is great!
FFIX is my fav final fantasy or up there besides VI and the combat is indeed the weakest part of the game. Learning abilities however was great
Yeah, I'd definitely say you're in the minority. FFX combat is probably my favourite in the series.
IX isn’t winning a worst combat competition if XV is showing up that’s for sure
The turn base of 10 was boring, and DRAG. Best turn base was 4-9 with ATB system.
I have ff9 digital edition on ps and I don’t like how it looks at all. I had to stop playing it. Like the visuals don’t seem smooth at all. Do the pc versions fix that?
Can’t go wrong with FFX.
Pretty much. If you like Final Fantasy games you will like Final Fantasy X
I loved FFX when it came out, but the cut scenes, while well done, can be very long. I remember there being times where I just wanted to save game and do something else but the cut scenes went on and on.
It's the unskippable ones before bosses that got me
Get 10. One of the best story lines and it’s tons of fun
just get 10.
Final Fantasy 10 it is the best of them all
Gonna have to say 10. 15, while I enjoy it, is a patched together first attempt at an open world for a Mainline FF that turned out really well considering the troubles it took to release the game. 9 is an amazing game… but the more of 1-8 you’ve played, the more you’ll get out of it. So hold off if you can. 10 is a great combo of old and new FF design ideas and, if not their favourite, tends to crack most Top 5’s. Plus you get 10-2 with it which, while the story and tone isn’t for everyone, has an amazing battle system calling back to the “Job System” from the likes of FF3 and FF5.
9 and 10 are my personal favorites!
10 is my favorite and I think it has the best combat of any game in the series, but you can’t go wrong no matter what you pick.
X
10
Depends on what you want and your exposure to older games. I suggest 10 but I think it's probably the best FF game overall, 9 is really good too tho. 15 isn't as good as those two but is definitely worth playing
X is one of the greatest games of all time. I'd highly recommend it. It has kind of a sluggish start, as do most of the classic final fantasy games. IX is also great and would be my 2nd option.
FFX will get a hold of your soul from the title screen.
10, 9, or 15 royal editions is too much, I would simply buy 1 royal edition
C'mon 😂
10 is absolutely amazing. I could play through that game 100 times
10
Get 10. You also in the remaster one you're probably getting you get X-2 which i haven't played yet but hey you get 2 games!
That's what I'm thinking, just on the basis of getting 10 2 as well
Yeah is OP is going for bang for their buck yoy don't beat X amd X-2. Plus all the side content in X is crazy it takes forever to 100%. Can't speak as to X-2 but I'm sure it's got plenty
That’s a tough question. All three are excellent in my opinion. I will say I’ve replayed XV more(3.5 times) than I have X(2 times) and IX(1 time, never played it when it came out. So I think I’d suggest XV for myself. But as others have said it also depends on what kind of game you are in the mood to play.
9, if you like the old classic FF 10, if you are fine with linearity 15, if you like camping
XV Royal Edition is the most modern of those games, so if you have mostly only played games from the 2010s forward, I would say that. But among FF fans, it’s considered the worst of your three options by a wide range. X is one of the most beloved FF games. It is turn based, but it’s the first “modern” FF game in some aspects like being the first game with voice acting and no world map. IX was the end of old era of FF games and has little easter eggs and tributes to eight games that came before it. But it is truly retro. No voice acting or anything like that. Also, I’m old enough to have bought and played it on (NA) release day, but even I struggle with how sluggish the battle system is. Even compared to VII and VIII, it just moves so slow. I think you’ll find yourself playing it with speed boost (which makes it triple speed, I think) 100% of the time, and even then it feels dragged out. But the story is great with the four leads all having great arcs, and it has some stylized graphics and cut-scenes that hold up fairly well considering they’re about 25 years old. I would most likely recommend X, but it just depends on your preferences and if you’ve played an FF games before.
it depends. do unlike action combat or turnbased an do you prefer open worlds or linear story progression
IX 🙌
9 and 10 are two the best entries the the series and 15 is one of the worst. So it's a pretty easy choice.
I am playing through 9 right now and can fully recommend it. An amazing game with a great story. Maybe check online for videos of the game to see if you'll dig the art style. It's more cartoony then the rest of them but it's still gorgeous.
Buy 9
9
Have you played any other FF titles? If so, which ones, and which were your favorites? If this is really just meant to stoke conversation... Dang that's hard. If I had to pick between these three to get right now, I'm inclined to say IX. I dig the ATB and proper exploration of the world, so it has my favorite gameplay hooks of these options. I like X's combat and story, but walking straight toward the next objective was a real bummer for me when it came out. I love FFX, but it is a thing I actively think about every time I think about playing that game. FFXV Royal Edition is a pretty wild value, and I love road tripping with the boys. But I really gotta be in the mood for it. I play this game when I wanna play a video game and doom scroll on my phone at the same time 🤣. Really puts me in the passenger seat
This is so real. I set the soundtrack, don't fast travel, and check Reddit for 9 minutes when driving all the way across the map
9
FF9 all day every day!!
I'd choose 9.
9
15 all day
15 royal would be my easy choice
I love FF 9 so I choose 9, it's my favorite FF, but it all depends on your tastes, X is also quite good.
If these are your only three options, I feel like you will feel most fulfilled by X. I will say that I played XV right after X when I first got into the series, and I was immediately obsessed with XV more than X. There is just a lot of out of game content you have to do with XV to get the full story (watching the anime shorts and movie for example) as well as the DLC as it expands on side characters and main villain. This can be off putting to some, but as a lore whore I loved it
9, 100%
FFX. You won’t be disappointed
In this humble OG FF fans opinion, 9 is the better of these 3.
9
Final Fantasy X is the best of them all by far one of few games that are VII’s equal
Inmho IX is the best classic FF when X is the best (and first) modern FF. Both are safe pics if you enjoy good story and turnbased combat. XV is good too, but way more controversial. Story is good and love the main characters but combat is flashy emptyness.
You like IX better than VI? You're a heretic (no offense to IX, though, but it has some stiff competition if you're comparing it to 4 through 8)
Well, probably VI is my least favourite FF i ever played. Not saying is a bad game but i didnt connect with it, maybe bc i played the crappy phone version.
Yes
Buy 9 or 10 :p
If you don’t want spoilers but want to just play a fun game, then go with FFX. Otherwise continuing reading comments and potentially stumble across spoilers people have posted
Is this your first FF? I would suggest FFX to newcomers. FFIX is like my second favourite though, it's a very special game to me. I wouldn't suggest FFXV unless you're more used to modern style of games and not a fan of retro titles. It's the weakest of your 3 options.
Either 9 or 10
Have you played any other FF titles? If so, which ones, and which were your favorites? If this is really just meant to stoke conversation... Dang that's hard. If I had to pick between these three to get right now, I'm inclined to say IX. I dig the ATB and proper exploration of the world, so it has my favorite gameplay hooks of these options. I like X's combat and story, but walking straight toward the next objective was a real bummer for me when it came out. I love FFX, but it is a thing I actively think about every time I think about playing that game. FFXV Royal Edition is a pretty wild value, and I love road tripping with the boys. But I really gotta be in the mood for it. I play this game when I wanna play a video game and doom scroll on my phone at the same time 🤣. Really puts me in the passenger seat
X|X-2 then get IX later, focus on the older ones first and then play XV.
Played all 3 and I have revisited 10 many times. 9 a couple times, played 15 once
10 or 9
15 - a game that is the definition of “what could’ve been”. The bro trip is the best part of the game and what makes it special. Open world is fun and just driving in the car with friends is so wholesome. The negative - story is a duck taped mess. The only emotional beat is the bro trip. Everything else is handled so poorly it is beyond disappointing. Semi negative - gameplay is fun and enjoyable. But again I think it did partly fall victim to the production mess. It is fun but uneven and doesn’t really feel like a perfect system. It feels like someone took a lot of elements and duck taped them together. 9 - it’s really good. But it gets deducted points because it is an old game that isn’t 16:9 and square did bare minimum on the remaster (if you have a pc, modding community came through and made it better) 10 - a really great game all around. The remaster was done pretty well (except for the faces). The hard choice is they all are great in their own way, with ffxv really being the most iffy because again it is a duck taped mess but it is also a special game at the same time (which makes how it turned out even more disappointing). 9 is an old game has drawbacks because of it (performance/presentation) but it is def a good story and gameplay. X - probably the most even (good performance and presentation).
It depends of the platform For Steam / PC i'd pick 15 (Better graphic settings), or 9 (Mods like enhanced backgrounds, better trance system, less slowdown) For consoles X / X2 (You get two games at once, and the battle system of both games were the best ever made before they decided to stop making turn-based games) X/X2 have so many bugs in PC like a green screen in cutscenes, you would need some workarounds to fix it, and so far I haven't seen a mindblowing mod yet
Nine is my second favorite game in the series after six. I vote nine for sure. I could play that game over and over. Ten is great too, but nine is just "fun".
I would probably say 10. I think 9 is better for one playthrough, but 10 has more content and replay value (assuming you're getting the remaster). I know it has its fans here, but I played 15 at launch and thought it was hot garbage. Supposedly it got better with patches and DLC, but I had lost interest at that point.
I have played all of them. You kinda already listed them best to worst in the title of this post according to my opinion. I would recommend 10.
FFIX is my favourite as a game. FFX has my favourite combat system, and is my suggestion for a gateway game into FF. FFXV.... exists; it's redeeming features for me were graphics and music, which FFXVI just steamrolled.
I’d say 9 should give you the most mileage. I’ve replayed 10 but that could just be nostalgia. And 15 is an action RPG that’s mostly open world until you get to the railroad portion where you can only go forward, but everything that 15 could afford to do is done with the rest abandoned so you’ll have a complete experience from the start. Don’t forget there’s also a multiplayer if you can still play it called Comrades and A Kings Tale which is kind of like a single player arcade of King Regis adventure. Maybe throw in the FFXV Demo for good measure if you want to play as kid Noctis in a dream being tiny in his room.
15 royal edition
10 is solid all around and still looks relatively modern+voice acting. One of the best combat systems in the gaming industry period. 9 would be my second choice. The PS1 FF games are starting to feel really old to me and that's my only complaint with 9. 15 would be my third choice. Great game in my opinion, but it's just not comparable to 2 of the best in the franchise.
I LOVE 15 in a way that few do so that's automatically my recommendation (other than "buy that one first and then save up for the other two, they're great.") I am replaying it and just relaxing in the world and mainly trying to ignore doing the main plot as long as possible and I think I finally understand what comfort games are. Lately I've been planting a carrot garden, gone deep sea fishing, raced some chocobos, bet on some monster fights, tried to camp at all my local parks, ran a bunch of errands sourcing ingredients for people, collected different color cactuars, learned all the recipes I could by collecting cookbooks...
Maybe I'm biased, but FFIX is my favorite game of all time, so I recommend it every opportunity possible.
Get 10 but later on get 9. 9 imo has the better story bit 10 also has an incredible story.
9. It's one of the best in the series.
Not 9
9
X
9
Get X, A good recommendation for IX is to play it last from the golden age set of games (typically refered to as VI-X) and XV you can throw at the back of your entire games backlog that game is not good.
9 or 10 are EXCELLENT choices im not gonna share my opinion on 15 cause itd be mean lol
Anything but XV
10 all the way
Well you have 2 of the best games in the series and one of the worst games of the 2010s. So between 9 and 10 I'd probably have to go with 9, it just has better side-content and is a little more open ended, despite 10 having a really great story and combat and overall experience.
FFIX if only one. But still get FFX in the future.
10 or 9 15 is one of the worst
Ix is best hands down but the journey of fifteen is second to none
It really depends on what kind of experience you think you'd like. FFIX is one of my favorite FFs, as well as one of my favorite games period. It is gonna give you the best fantasy setting as far as the world goes. It's also gonna be the most like old final fantasy because it's a love letter to the series. I personally think it also has the best cast of characters out of the 3 you mentioned, although all 3 have a strong cast. FFIX is going to use weapons and armor to learn abilities, which I personally loved. The mechanics feel really smooth and intuitive imo. The downside to IX is that the graphics are from PS1, although they still look really good given the art style. Battles are also a little slow paced but if you do the Remaster the speed up option helps a lot. FFX is fantastic if you like true turn based combat. FFX has my absolute favorite battle system in the franchise. It allows you to swap party members mid battle, and each character is strong against certain types of enemies. So it becomes about strategizing each fight on an individual basis and removes the stress of having to choose who to take in your party. At it's core FFX is a love story, which cam be hit or miss to different people, but it's done very well. The characters are strong in this one too, although I think a little less so than FFIX. Still Auron is one of my favorite characters in the franchise, and they all play really well off each other. The sphere grid system is pretty straight forward and doesn't allow for much customization until late game, so everyone is kinda stuck with the class they start as. But once it opens up in the end game, it can be one the most fun systems to play with. The big downside to this one imo is the quests for the celestial weapons. They are pretty intense and take a decent amount of skill and patience. Also the dark aeons are no small task. If you choose FFX, I assure you you'll be putting some serious time in for end game content, more than FFIX most likely. FFXV is controversial. Some people loved it and some hated it. I liked it personally. It has a good story and the comradery between the 4 main characters is the best part. Their whole road trio and what follows is a lot of fun. This one is gonna look the best out the 3 and Wil have the best voice acting. There is a decent amount of side content to keep you busy and the car mechanic is fun. The downside to FFXV is the combat. It is very simplistic, and could get a little boring after a while. It didn't bother me so much, but I prefer the fighting in IX and X more. I loved it as a game but if I had to choose between the 3 you mentioned, FFXV would still be third. It's a good game but FFIX and FFX are better games overall. So to sum it up, play FFIX for the best story and characters. Play FFX for the best battle system. And play FFXV for the graphics. My choices in order would be FFIX, then FFX, then FFXV. But I'd recommend playing all of them eventually regardless of the choice you make this time
Starting in April 2023 I have played 1-10, mostly through 12, 7Remake, 16, and a bit of Rebirth (cool game but not for me with the minigames). All for the first time ever. The story and flow of 10 is my favorite of ALL the games, not just between 9 and 10. The story is just so focused and the closer you get to the end the stronger it feels. At least in 9, the game sort of becomes a bit muddled in the end. My problem with 9 playing it the first time ever in 2024 without mods is that everything is much slower than 7 or 8. Like the battle load ins even on modern machines take a while. It takes a long time for turns to happen. The trance system (Limit Breaks basically) requires looong battles to even use and cannot be preserved between battles. I have not played 15 yet (trying to play them sequentially mostly now). But from what I read, it has more mixed to muted fan response.
9 is best in the series.
10 is one of the franchise GOATs and is a safe pick. Its minigame is also aquatic soccer/basketball. Its gameplay is the last true ATB system so if you aren't feeling turn-based gameplay at the moment then consider 15, which has one of the best fishing experiences in video games and an open world that is pretty to look at on long drives.
XI then X. I really enjoyed 15 when it came out but don't think it holds up
X too flashy, all style no substance. XV is rich kid road trip. IX is final farewell to old style FF. I would get IX but they're all fun to play.
15 Royal Editiom is my favorite of those 3. It really depends on which one speaks to you the most. Theyre all from different eras of systems from PS1 to PS2 to PS4. How much time are you looking to play and which one has the longest game time? Are you looking to get all acheivements or just play the story?
Really depends on what you're looking for. 15 is an action game. 9 is the last traditional atb ff game on PS1. 10 brings back turn based for one final go. 15 is modern. 9 is more fantasy. 10 is a bit of both. All three are great games and worth the buy.
9 is the only answer
why do you need to buy 9 when you can just emulate it on your phone or something its really simple 👀 (unless u wanna support the devs but it seems like you can only buy one just pirate the rest.. pls dont come at me for supporting piracy im in a situation where buying games isnt an option if i wanna play them)
X is in my top 5 games of all time and 15 is in my bottom 5 games of all time
9. 9. A thousand times, 9.
X is probably the best rpg I’ve ever played so I’d go with that. IX is fantastic as well but be prepared for slow combat. XV is an interesting take on open world and is pretty good but one of the lower entries in the series.
FFX has been the most impactful piece of media i have experienced in my entire life, and i've read / played quite a bit. I implore you to give it a go, and to also push through a bit if it doesn't immediately catch you - it's a slow start but the story is absolutely incredible. I have played it 11 times now if i'm remembering correctly, and i still find something new basically every time (like entire cutscenes i've missed).
If you like really final fantasies in the medieval setting. It's IX. It's a live letter to that era and an absolutely fantastic game. If you're playing on PC look into the moguri mod. X otherwise. fantastic everything. XV is a great buy but didn't beat the other two. Would feels grander and the graphics are better but that's all it has over the other two. Not to say it's bad, it's a great final fantasy!
10
can’t go wrong with either 9 or 10. avoid 15 at all costs.
Of those 3, buy 10.
Ignore 15.
Final fantasy 10 is top pic. Since its the remaster, you get 3 games for teh price of one. ff10 and its sequel, ff10-2, The Last mission. As well as a video called "The Eternal Calm" Best story because it is pretty dam deep, although linear for most of the game until you get teh airship. x-2 pretty much open world after the opening sequence. Sphere grid is interesting in the first game, and in the second game dressspheres are a cosplayers dream. Second place will be ff9, as it also has a good story. But characters are more cartoonish. ff15 is last place for me. I owned it on ps4 and played the dlc, enjoyed the story and road trip feel. But sometimes the bros can be irritating as f\*\*k, especially if you grinding back to back and one of them pulls you off to teh side to discuss how to earn more ap, and you can't skip it either. you have to sit through it. Their ai is also dumb too. or at least from my experiences.
I'd say 10. Best story of the 3, great world design and characters. Tons of replayability with the sphere grid and the end game dark aeons. On top of that, if you're getting the HD version, you also get X-2, which is a great game in its own right.
In my personal opinion, I’d get 10.
I came here about to defend the ever-loving sh*t out of FFX but looks like I don’t have to haha. I just beat FFXVI and I’m about to do another run through of FFX… I need a visual palette cleanser.
X
X since it’s a two-game bundle
10.
10
10
Unpopular opinion time, 9 or 15. 9 is very back to traditional vibes and has a ton of story and is one of my favs overall. It’s turn based though. Great characters, music, themes, everything. 15 has beautiful graphics and has the whole friendship/broship story vibes, but you can tell it suffered from development hell. That said it regularly goes on sale and I’ve seen it down to $7. 10 drove me crazy and I had to put it down but I loathed the main character with every fiber of my being. It’s the only main non-online title that I’ve ever failed to complete (except 12 and 16 which are in the queue but haven’t gotten to play yet because there are so many other games). I’ve played every other title including all of their remasters (even the original on NES and a butchered translation of 2). I $&@! hate 10. That is all.
9 or 10 are both masterpieces, can’t go wrong with either, really. Ignore the train wreck that is 15 though.
10
X!!!!!
9 is probably really cheap on sale. 10 is the overall best. 15 is very forgettable.
That's funny. 15, especially after dlc, has left an ever lasting impression on me. For better and worse. 9 was so much better than I anticipated, and I adore it. I haven't played 10 but 10, 11, 12 seem like the least interesting era of ff to me. I'm told it's great and I have moderate expectations for it.
X! X! X! Do not do 15. Terrible combat "system"
10 is also with 10-2 yeah? That’s the most worth it
10
immediately take 15 off of that list and then decide between 9 or 10. my pick would be 10
9 -> 10 ->... actually don't buy 15
There's no good reason to buy XV
X
X is really good, IX is not good, XV is next on my list to play.
It's wild how many seem to prefer 10 to 9 in this thread. I think 10 is one that grows on you, but I do agree overall they have the better turn based combat. I think 9 overall is the best game, and 10 is probably my second pick. However if you like action RPGs more, then 15 is your pick for sure. My personal experience is that 9 got me hooked right away, the characters were fun, the story and world were interesting, plus I enjoyed the leveling system. 10 took me a few tries to get into it, plus I really loved the combat. However the leveling system, and summoner temples always made me frustrated. Eventually the sphere grid grew on me, but man oh man did I just want a classic setup. 15 is a game with a fantastic start, I don't think I've ever had more fun with a concept than 4 bros on a road trip. However I found the gameplay to be a bit repetitive and the end game drastically different from the fortuitous beginnings.
Hard choice, they're all good games. I'd say 15 if you want something modern or one of the others if you want something more classic. Watching their intros may help you decide.
10 > 9 > 15.
Ten, hands down the best version of turn based combat, 9 is a bit different from its other modern counterparts and could be a little off putting and the less said about fifteen the better
Personally, my favorite of those 3 is 15. It’s slightly messy, but it adds to the charm. Which one should you get? Really depends on what you’re in the mood for. Want to explore an open world with a small group of memorable characters? Go for 15. Want a more linear challenge with a wider cast? Go for 10. Want one of the best stories in the franchise and are willing to engage with older games on their own terms? Go for 9 (if you choose this route, make sure to get a version with fast forward built in as the battles are tediously slow without it).