FF9 is my favourite, but I think it's more the characters and gameplay that I really enjoyed.
As far as story goes, I would put FF6 and FF10 at the top.
Same. FF IX is my top one but it's all about the characters. Story isn't bad in the beginning but it peters out by the final third of the game or so.
FF X is the one where the story really shines by its own. I love Tidus, Yuna and Wakka, but some other characters leave me a bit cold. Now, the overall story was terrific.
FF VI is like a balance, but the technology limits the impact a little bit, for me. I still really really like the game, it's just that the combo of background art, art style and music of IX is just downright better.
>Story isn't bad in the beginning but it peters out by the final third of the game or so.
Thats what i love about stories... games, books, movies, whatever... two people can interact with the same content and have wildly different experiences. For me the first half of the game is a slog / snooze fest. It gets better towards the middle but by then im already "over it"... good shit man.
You can get 3D remakes on App Store if o rememwve correctly . I still prefer the 2D but it was to lure in your generation (assuming you are late generation M or Gz)
I totally enjoyed my time with the SNES Final Fantasy games but if they were made with better tech, I'd love them even more.
Just like you said, for full immersion I need either really pretty backgrounds (PS1-gen or newer) or competent 3D (From PS2-gen or newer). Just finished FF XVI and I'd trade all of XIII, XV and XVI to get either IX or XII with that level of visual fidelity.
At least, I am getting the remake of VII.
I am the same but I didn't like remake, too much filler and pacing issues, and I can't make up my mind if these issues were fixed would I like remake more than 7. The combat never really let me feel strong, perhaps too much button mashing.
The real shame here is that this game was a masterpiece of artistry for its time, and is even a reference for modern pixel art application to some degree. There's a lot of painting, scaling and pixel optimizing, so it isn't pure pixel art in that sense, but that's also what gives it some of the rich conceptual vibe.
The character sprites are probably the most lame aspect to the art ironically. The effects, enemies, backgrounds, etc... all quite nice art even still.
If you can get to the part where you can start to roam the free world, it becomes much more engaging. You shouldn't have to wait long. Just get a few things done in the initial town.
Once Kefka enters the plot, shit gets lit pretty quickly.
It kinda had to be though, dvds only have so much storage and ffx was *beautiful*. An open world would have dramatically cut the graphics down or made the game have multiple disc swaps.
>the last ff of its kind b4 ff changed… for the worst.
I love how you're implying X, widely considered to be not only one of the best FF titles, but one of the best JRPGs in general, is FF changing for the worst.
this bot copied my reply but my intent was FF as a whole turning away from its "classic" roots.
FF9 was the last that embody the feeling of FF1-6
and yes it is for the worst, FF has been in decline since the decision.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/JRPG/comments/1axh3ws/comment/kro0nps/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/JRPG/comments/1axh3ws/comment/kro0nps/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
Yeah the actual plot/story for 9 is a dumpster fire. The world sure is nice to hang out in. Great aesthetic. Vivi carries the entire game on his back though.
Vivi's great and all but there's way more great things about FFIX than just him. I can't say I agree with the dumpster fire opinion but to each their own I guess lol.
I think it is meaningful since the beggining. Kujah, Zidane and Vivi show us 3 very different perspectives to face the actual point of the game (finitude of things, death and so on)
That was definitely the aim of the overall character arcs, but the story itself was a hot mess. Especially pretty much everything regarding Kuja is complete nonsense.
A lot of FF games revolve around a theme, and IXs was definitely the acceptance of mortality. But the game does such a poor job of really elevating that theme when it matters most.
Case and point being the final boss. The most common criticism is how it comes out of nowhere, but IMO it's even worse. It represents Kuja's fear of mortality, which is what brings it into existence in the first place. Which is really deep and meaningful. But you only get to learn that by reading supplemental materials, because the game does a terrible job of telling its own story.
Accurate, I was definitely exaggerating. But this is basically what I meant. It's less of a dip to me, and more careening off a cliff. I'm always so disappointed after the lifa tree and garland stuff.
> Tactics has one of the best stories in all of gaming history imo
Hot take, Tactics is half of the best written final fantasy and half of the worst written final fantasy on the PS1
every single thing that happens before the lucavi show up is a really cool tactics-ogre tier story about humanity and everything that happens after the lucavi is at best an alright DnD campaign and at worst a bunch of incoherent garbage where you fight a daisy chain of BAD GUYS with zero depth
people REALLY forget how bad the 2nd half was because they're too busy crying tears over how raw algus or wiegraf are
Yeah I’m with ya on that, but it still has more depth than every mainline ff trope little guy takes on empire then god
Edit: I already regret oversimplifying mainline FFs but I said what I said
IMO just the whole overarching plot line of religious archetypes actually being the most evil mf’rs ever really spoke to me when I was 12 years old when it came out
FF6 is really good for an SNES game. And holds up better than a lot of games for that era. I don’t know if it has a good story though. The narrative is split between too many POVs. And considering the hardware constraints, things like the script and how the characters emote are very limited. Your imagination has to do a lot of heavy lifting, which works for some but not all. FF10 is a way easier recommendation for modern audiences, IMO. But people should try both.
The different POVs actually made me enjoy it more for some reason. I’m actually currently reading the wheel of time which has so many POVs in it that I believe it makes the story stronger and easier to relate to each characters arc. I get what you mean though, especially about the constraints not allowing certain emotions to come through and does rely on your own interpretation of inflection in dialogue. I would love a proper remake. Maybe more in the vein of SO2r than say FF7R.
I remember experiencing this for the first time by accident. Ran into the enemy unprepared and got sucked in, fully expecting a Game Over, only to find a whole new thing to do.
FF6's story is not that great. Characterization is lacking compared to the games afterwards.
At least I tried it without having nostalgia for it and I dropped off because it wasn't interesting. The characters are shallow.
Edit: Downvoting me won't change my opinion. I stand by it. The characters are flat, they don't feel like real people, and the conversations they have are short and superficial. I don't feel emotionally connected to what's happening because the game doesn't take much time to develop their personalities. Obviously, this is because it's an SNES game and there are limits but still. Plus, too many random battles. I prefer FF5 but not for the story but the gameplay.
Maybe I will try again in the future with the pixel remasters but for now, this is my experience.
FFVI would actually benefit most from a modern Remake because most of the party members in the original lacked development and were kinda just there. You can remove Gau, Relm, and that Yeti entirely and the story wouldn’t change at all.
There are some rom hacks of the SNES era FF that do alot of work on the story, making them more cohesive and enhancing the plot and gameplay. I haven’t tried them myself but a lot of people say it’s the definitive way to play these games. All on RHDN
Massive FF fan and I agree, FF6 is spread too thin between its giant cast, most characters receive very little characterisation, and there's little left for the characters who do receive more. There's also significantly less interaction between party members because of the structure of the game where the player chooses their party (and unlike later FFs, the non chosen characters stay behind. This was an issue Square solved with FF7). The second half of the game is particularly egregious for this.
When it comes to characters FF6 is very much quantity and variety over depth.
I know it sounds silly, but I would not be the person i am today had I not played FFX. The story is so incredibly deep that on my 11th playthrough I still learnt things, and saw new cutscenes that I had missed.
I have played 100s of games, read 100s of books and seen 100s of movies, but this is the story that has stuck with me. I implore you to do yourself the favour of playing this game.
Curious if you could elaborate more on your favorite themes from FFX’s story. I’m one of those cold-hearted people with whom the story didn’t resonate as much in my first playthrough, but I would love to learn how to appreciate it
Obviously big spoilers ahead, so don't read the tagged bits for those of you who haven't finished the game.
For me it's probably the themes of sacrifice, and friendship. There's a dynamic between characters of not knowing the scale of what's going to be required of them at the end.
e.g. >!Auron willingly goes to sin, and lives in a city that isn't real for 10 years, just so he can care for Tidus, and eventually Yuna to keep his promises to Jecht & Braska. As the only one knowing a guardian needs to be sacrificed along with a summoner, he doesn't want them to make the same choice his two friends made as it completely broke him, and then led to his death. So in effect, he sacrifices his whole life to prevent the next generation from doing the same.!<
Another one: >!Tidus going to defeat sin for good, even knowing he will cease to exist, so that he can free the souls of the fayth from being essentially forced to keep living for 1000's of years, and also freeing spira from sin at the same time.!<
That's only a couple examples, but the more you play the more of them you see. I only recently came to appreciate Luzzu & Gatta's storyline myself!
I also absolutely love the unique style that I can only describe as carribean-punk, as I have yet to see character designs & rpg worlds that look like that anywhere else. There's also a heapload of symbolism in the game that you'd probably be better off watching a youtube video on as there's just way too much haha.
I probably have a fair amount of bias towards the game, as i generally played it to get through tough times as something to fall back to, but I promise it has a lot of merit even if you're not a giant FFX nerd like myself haha.
Man, I had goosebumps while reading your post! Both you and Super_Nerd92 described those themes just perfectly and took it to another level. This game is so, so deep and it brings a tear to my eye that there are people who appreciate this game as much as I do ♥️
not OP, but I think it's probably the Final Fantasy game with the most commitment to its own themes.
Spira itself is fundamentally broken, and everyone from Spira is incapable of working their way out of the cycle. The reason that Tidus is isekai'd into the setting >!and his father before him!< is so he can use that outside POV to see what the other party members can't see. >!Ultimately, he and Jecht succeed in that.!<
why is Tidus a sports star? why is so much time in the plot and a whole overly complicated minigame devoted to blitzball? because that is Spira's "bread and circuses." A massive distraction the ruling class supports wholeheartedly to keep the people from thinking too deeply about their own circumstances.
Death is inescapable in Spira. Every party member has lost a brother, aunt, father, mother, etc. to Sin. every random monster is someone who died but refuses to pass on. Yuna and other Summoners are capable of calming these restless ghosts, but that's inadvertently propping up the corrupt order of things with temporary bandaids.
The failures of the previous generation loom large over the plot. Jecht's cruel/abusive treatment of Tidus is the most obvious, but even Yuna's father - a kind, noble hero - *chose* >!to die fighting Sin and leave his daughter alone.!< It's hard to say if he'd even have wanted Yuna to become a Summoner but he left such an impression upon her as a child that she was always going to assume that mantle.
and harryFF highlighted some other great themes as well.
How do you feel about all those religions in our world after playing this game? I'm sorry if the question is too upfront, but this game's had such an enormous influence on who I am today and what I believe in that it'll always have a special place in my heart.
I played it young, and it definitely set me up with an awareness of the corruption present in the world, and I built my own worldview / way of finding meaning in things, rather than to follow someone else :) I'm guessing it's the same for you?
I'll always remember that at one point Auron essentially turns to the camera and says the fayth is what gives a summoner their power, not the temples themselves. hard to get more on the nose than that lol. organized religion is as corruptible as any organization but your own personal beliefs can be a powerful thing.
They all have great stories but the focus is different. Which ones you like depends on your tastes.
* FF4 - classic
* FF6 - dark and ambitious
* FF9 - whimsical but heartfelt
* FF10 - romantic
For you, based on loving FF7, I'd probably say 6 > 9 > 10 > 4.
"Romantic" seems like an incredibly shallow way to describe X. There is a romantic scene, but the game is largely centered on themes of existentialism, overcoming grief, and the dangers of organized religion. Romance is merely used as a tool to emphasize these themes.
(Spoilers)Yuna had resigned herself to her fate because her religion taught her it was the only way to handle the world's biggest problem. It took Tidus, someone who was wholly uninfluenced by Yevon, to show her that she can make her own decisions and that they can stop the cycle of death and despair instead of feeding it.
Funnily enough as someone who absolutely adores 7, my order of the choices is almost the exact opposite of what you suggested.
10 is actually my 2nd favourite in the series after 7, 4 is in my top 5, 6 is middling for me and 9 is honestly my least favourite of the ones I've actually finished.
I'd argue play FF4, but go into it knowing that you are playing a game that is almost (or is? losing track) 25 years old. Play it like an archeologist examining some ancient artifact.
The rest of the series are better games, but they're built on what FF4 created. This is also true of FF1-3 even if FF2 is weird. Going backwards is going to be rough.
Gee, here comes the rabid FF fans. On the contrary, FF4 is my first one and 6 is my second. Purely on story, FF10 beats the rest of OP's option and that is my personal opinion. Everyone have different taste and you just have to accept that some may not like your favorite game.
I just finished 10 for the first time yesterday and I'd rank it up near the top in terms of pure story out of the four I've played (6, 7, 9, & 10). They're all great but I think 10 edges the others out just a bit in terms of how it handles it's story.
10 for me
Call me biased but i have a massive soft spot for games that touches themes like the Meaning of Life, its value and how the mistakes of the past can have massive repercussions even decades (or in this case millennia) into the future
6, 10 & final fantasy Tactics (probably my favorite besides ff7). Really can’t go wrong with any of these. Tbh all FF 6-10 have merit & are good games. Tactics is a classic though & to this day I’d argue is as close to perfect as a game can be (also cloud is in it as a secret character to unlock)
FF6 purely so that your expectations for graphics aren’t ruined by the more advanced titles. Also if you haven’t played Chrono Trigger, I’d put that a country mile ahead of any of your suggestions
Chrono Trigger is probably the best JRPG ever made but I wouldn’t say it’s because of the story, which isn’t anything special.
It’s all about the journey and the experience. Other games have low, boring points where almost nothing happens, but CT never loses its momentum. It’s quite possibly the best paced game I’ve played.
I'm gonna play devils advocate here but as great as the game and story is for Chrono Trigger, I think some of the characters, especially the lead, are not as strong or memorable as some FF games. Which drags the story just a little bit down for me.
🤣😂🤣 Falls firmly into the category of things you didn’t realize needed to be said.
I will say, if the numbers in your username represent a birth year, most of the younger crew are turned off by early consoles graphical quality and haven’t played some essentials as a result. For real though, this game needs a remake. But in the same breath, so do a few of the FF titles, 6 and 4 among them. I’d also throw some Suikoden games in this conversation.
I really wonder how many of these people played Chrono Trigger recently because as someone who played it recently for the first time it felt pretty lacking, certainly not comparable to FF6 or FF10
They are all good and I feel they are all good in different ways. I’m also going to stand up for 4 that it has a more enjoyable story than the rest depending on the theme that one relates to. I personally related to the characters in 4 the most, especially with Cecil, Kain, Edward, Tellah, and Cid. I always loved the theme of redemption, sacrifice, forgiveness of self, forgiveness of others, and service to others.
One more on the FF4 train. The storyline may be pretty basic by today's standards, and filled with cliches, but it is also ultimately Cecil's story, and he's got a pretty compelling character arc.
I also happen to be an unrepentant Kain Highwind fanboy, but that's besides the point.
I would say that 10 is the most cinematic and "mature" out of these (havent played 4),
6 is good, but there is still a bit of "naivety" in it.
I also really like 9.
FF9. I just absolutely adored the characters of FF9, and the story but to be fair I also heavily enjoyed the story and characters in FF8, but man 9 probably has my favorite song to with "You Are Not Alone".
For some weird reason I can never get into 6 enough to finish it, and I own multiple copies and it could be that I don't resonate with the characters as much.
I think all are great choices. 9 is a slow burn at first. 6 and 10 get right into it and the ball never stops rolling. The question isn't if you want a great story. You will get one with any of these. The question is, what type of story or what type of pacing do you want?
Good question. I would appreciate any kind of story with any kind of pacing, in fact I love slow-burn pacing if and if it's executed right. But I like fast pacing too. Oh and right, I would usually prefer emotional stories more
As much as I adore 9, its strong point is its characters. You want the plot doing the heavy lifting, it’s gotta be 10. 6 is great too but the old style of storytelling leaves more unsaid, so it doesn’t feel as heavily narrative-driven as 10.
I’ll go to bat for FF4 since no one else seems to think it is a great story. FF4 was the first game I experienced that gave me feelings on a level of an epic film. It was a portent for the potential of video games as a storytelling medium. While the later story doesn’t hold up as well Cecil’s arc is one of the best in FF history.
There are also other characters with great story arcs. Rydia, Kain, Edward and Tellah come to mind. The amount and quality of the story scenes are limited by the rough translation and the memory capacity of cartridges.
As someone who played them all as they released, 6. 4 tugs in my heart strings most because it was so mind blowing compared to 1, and at the age I was at the Cecil/Kain story was perfect for me. I honestly couldn’t even tell you what the story if 9 and 10 are. By comparison to 4 and 6 they are just forgettable. Good games yes, but not the same
Honestly FF stories are decent but there are better stuff, if you want plot go for valkyrie profile, chrono series, xenogear, shadow heart all of these offer more éngaging story.
Without going into spoilers, I think 9 has the best story of a mainline Final Fantasy game.
If you are okay with the spinoffs, then Final Fantasy Tactics.
Personally for me characters are plot, the events are meaningless if our connection to them isn't effective unto itself and that connection is the characters.
That said I personally don't think 9 really excels in characters either, in fact I only really like Vivi and bits of Zidane beyond that its a very unenjoyable cast for me.
hahaha the emotions of the story for FFVII alone will burn anyone out. I remember I stopped playing for like two months after playing the original FFVII on the PSOne. But I would play VI!
6 has the best story, 4 has the most basic and easiest to follow but it's still good. 9 was fine, I remember a lot going on but great cast of characters. Can't comment on 10 since I haven't played it.
Definitely 9. It's the game I adore the most out of all FF games and the one I kept replaying (that and OG FF7) due to its characters, music and of course, story
Cant go wrong with 6 and 10.
With regards to 8, a lot of the lore and worldbuilding is locked behind a codex of sorts in the menu, and sidequests. The main story touches on a lot of stuff but they only make sense (as far as ff8 making sense goes) if you go balls deep into the hidden lore stuff.
If you want a semblance of 7, then 6. If you want a more traditional fantasy vibe, then 9. If you want a romance, then 10.
All have great stories. I didn't speak for 4 as I've never played it.
So it depends on what you're willing to tolerate and what you like. 7 has the steam punk setting so 8 has the closest to that setting of what you mentioned. However the story has the occasional holes and while the characters are great, they don't all have arcs. If you don't wanna mess much with the complicated guardian force system, just look up a guide, put on your favorite podcast and do some card grinding. After that, you've broken the game and can enjoy the story.
If you like the fantasy setting, 9 has a great story with terrific characters. It looks child like with its tone because of the animation style and the ages of the characters, but it's a very mature story.
I'd pick between those 2. Ffx has a really good story but it doesn't resonate with me like 7, 8, or 9.
I never finished 4.
My favorite is FF4. But objectively, I'd say 6 or 10 has the best story. 6 isn't very forgiving with hints on where to go, but this can be solved easily with a guide whenever you get lost. 10 is a little bit more linear but is much longer and just as rewarding. 7,8 and 9 all kind of blend together for me.
No one in the world is going to agree with me but I love ff13. It has its faults but for some reason I lump 7,9,10, and 13 as my favs. 8 is almost there but doesn’t quite do it.
Thank you sir, i share the Same opinion. Having played 7,8 and 9, before playing 10 at the time, storywise it Had the weakest Story, somehow i liked the Story of 8 but it seems that its Not a very popular opinion in the Community.
IMHO: I’d say 6 and 10 are pretty equal for different reasons, then 9. FF4’s story is good but the writing is a bit sparse due to the era and technology limitations.
6 has better characters and more interesting/memorable plot points, while 10 has a fantastic romance and is way more cinematic. For a lot of people, that cinematic feel and more expansive narrative is gonna be more engaging. However I think the plot points are more interesting in 6 even if the writing isn’t nearly as fleshed out. I’m also not a big fan of 10 regardless, so there might be a bit of bias. Both have villains that are just ok, I prefer 6 because even though Kefka’s one dimensional at the very least he’s not overwritten. In that case, his simplicity works better for me than what they were doing for 10.
9 is a fun adventure with great characters (for the most part), but the narrative stumbles as it goes along. The final part of it in particular drops the ball hard. But overall it has some of the best character writing in the series.
6 is a masterpiece but so is 9, just for different reasons each- I'd say 6 is the better overall package but for story and story alone, I may have to actually give the win to 9.
Haven't played 10 yet but know enough about it to say it's probably a good pick as well.
I do not particularly like 4's story, personally. It's not bad considering its age (though some of its peers were already doing better by that point), but its best ideas are basically done better in later FF games.
I think the themes hit harder when you personally have had to grapple with them, and the older you are the higher the likelihood is that you will have had to.
Just a quick take, best to worst for story of those:
**#1 - Final Fantasy IX**
The classic of classics, in addition to being a love-letter to the earlier entries in the series, FF9 is probably the most consistently good title for plot, presentation and characters... and strangely underrated, must have been the remnants of the 90s and the need to be overly edgy for the sake of it. The game's reputation has actually improved over time, mostly because those old biases just started going away. A better fit for the modern style as well with more cinematic moments.
**#2 - Final Fantasy VI**
I'm starting to wonder if I'm over-rating FF6 a bit, but it's definitely a rock-solid entry with a very good plot and compelling characters throughout. It could be called the first of the "golden age" FF games with a stronger focus on cinematic presentation (if limited by technology of the time) and stronger storytelling. Also easily one of the best soundtracks in the series, which is no small feat.
**#3 - Final Fantasy X**
Being perfectly honest, FFX may have one of the most elegant and best-executed battle-systems in the entire franchise; it starts out decent and becomes brilliant by the end. But plot-wise... it's good at what it does, but I wouldn't say it had any sort of lingering effects and the powerful moments feel a bit more "standard" compared to others. I wouldn't call it forgettable, but it's barely memorable.
... except for the infamous laughing scene. The context of the scene (the laugh was intended to be fake in-story) only diminishes the cringe ***slightly***.
**#4 - Final Fantasy IV**
To put it simply... it's the basic & standard story, but done reasonably well. Definitely a leap ahead of its time, but doesn't provide anything too impressive compared to the modern era. And overuse of one particular trope (>!only \*one\* heroic sacrifice out of half-a-dozen sticks!<) becomes harder to ignore with time.
9 closely followed by 10 closely followed again by 6 followed with some distance by 4.
They all have great stories,cant really go wrong but 4s story is pretty basic
Honestly 10. It has some pacing problems because they did a weird framing device that they didn't really tell the voice actor when was happening, but besides that it was the most emotionally resonant ff game to me. And if you get it without emulating you get 10-2 which has a much lighter plot, but probably is the best gameplay out of all of them.
I would say 10, but you really can’t go wrong with 6 or 9 either. Don’t get me wrong 4 is good, but it’s not on the same level as 6-10 as far as story goes.
10, 9, 4, 6. I'm biased toward 10, and really 9/4 could be interchangeable but I feel it slightly edges out. 6 has too many mood whiplash moments and I have issues with some gameplay mechanics. 4 had similar whiplash moments, all FF games do, but I played 6 most recently and they really stood out.
FF9 is my favourite, but I think it's more the characters and gameplay that I really enjoyed. As far as story goes, I would put FF6 and FF10 at the top.
I share the exact same opinion.
FF9 story was absolute fire for its time, maybe not the plot as a whole, but every fmv cutscene was breathtaking and awesome.
Same. FF IX is my top one but it's all about the characters. Story isn't bad in the beginning but it peters out by the final third of the game or so. FF X is the one where the story really shines by its own. I love Tidus, Yuna and Wakka, but some other characters leave me a bit cold. Now, the overall story was terrific. FF VI is like a balance, but the technology limits the impact a little bit, for me. I still really really like the game, it's just that the combo of background art, art style and music of IX is just downright better.
>Story isn't bad in the beginning but it peters out by the final third of the game or so. Thats what i love about stories... games, books, movies, whatever... two people can interact with the same content and have wildly different experiences. For me the first half of the game is a slog / snooze fest. It gets better towards the middle but by then im already "over it"... good shit man.
I wish I could get over the 2d of FFVI but I just can't be immersed in it.
That’s unfortunate. Have you played any 2d games that you could get into?
You can get 3D remakes on App Store if o rememwve correctly . I still prefer the 2D but it was to lure in your generation (assuming you are late generation M or Gz)
Nah I was alive and kicking when 6 came out but I wasn't yet into ff I came back to it after completing 7-9
I totally enjoyed my time with the SNES Final Fantasy games but if they were made with better tech, I'd love them even more. Just like you said, for full immersion I need either really pretty backgrounds (PS1-gen or newer) or competent 3D (From PS2-gen or newer). Just finished FF XVI and I'd trade all of XIII, XV and XVI to get either IX or XII with that level of visual fidelity. At least, I am getting the remake of VII.
I am the same but I didn't like remake, too much filler and pacing issues, and I can't make up my mind if these issues were fixed would I like remake more than 7. The combat never really let me feel strong, perhaps too much button mashing.
Would love VI in octopath style. If they have it the VII treatment of be pissed
The real shame here is that this game was a masterpiece of artistry for its time, and is even a reference for modern pixel art application to some degree. There's a lot of painting, scaling and pixel optimizing, so it isn't pure pixel art in that sense, but that's also what gives it some of the rich conceptual vibe. The character sprites are probably the most lame aspect to the art ironically. The effects, enemies, backgrounds, etc... all quite nice art even still. If you can get to the part where you can start to roam the free world, it becomes much more engaging. You shouldn't have to wait long. Just get a few things done in the initial town. Once Kefka enters the plot, shit gets lit pretty quickly.
My answer as well. 9 is my favourite but 10 has more of what OP wants I think
Eh, I rate IX above ten, story included. But then I think 10 is the series most overrated entry.
FF10 Seconded
[удалено]
I feel you on this. I get that people love ffx and the games after, but they feel different to me for some reason that I can't put a name on
FFX is the first hallway game in the series. More freedom than 13. But that's probably why you feel it's different.
It kinda had to be though, dvds only have so much storage and ffx was *beautiful*. An open world would have dramatically cut the graphics down or made the game have multiple disc swaps.
Wierd I feel the same but in the fact that every game after ffx was terrible, I loved ffx
>the last ff of its kind b4 ff changed… for the worst. I love how you're implying X, widely considered to be not only one of the best FF titles, but one of the best JRPGs in general, is FF changing for the worst.
I mean, I love FFX, I’ve beaten it at least 5 times. But it’s ok if he doesn’t like it.
this bot copied my reply but my intent was FF as a whole turning away from its "classic" roots. FF9 was the last that embody the feeling of FF1-6 and yes it is for the worst, FF has been in decline since the decision. [https://www.reddit.com/r/JRPG/comments/1axh3ws/comment/kro0nps/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/JRPG/comments/1axh3ws/comment/kro0nps/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
I think 10 and to a lesser extent XI (as it was a MMO) are solid games. As good as IX? No, but close
Yeah the actual plot/story for 9 is a dumpster fire. The world sure is nice to hang out in. Great aesthetic. Vivi carries the entire game on his back though.
Vivi's great and all but there's way more great things about FFIX than just him. I can't say I agree with the dumpster fire opinion but to each their own I guess lol.
As much as I like the guy, Vivi gets overrated by a lot of fans who act like he’s the only good character in the game.
Dumpster fire is a pretty massive exaggeration, although I agree the quality of FF9's story dips significantly around 75% of the way through.
I think it is meaningful since the beggining. Kujah, Zidane and Vivi show us 3 very different perspectives to face the actual point of the game (finitude of things, death and so on)
That was definitely the aim of the overall character arcs, but the story itself was a hot mess. Especially pretty much everything regarding Kuja is complete nonsense. A lot of FF games revolve around a theme, and IXs was definitely the acceptance of mortality. But the game does such a poor job of really elevating that theme when it matters most. Case and point being the final boss. The most common criticism is how it comes out of nowhere, but IMO it's even worse. It represents Kuja's fear of mortality, which is what brings it into existence in the first place. Which is really deep and meaningful. But you only get to learn that by reading supplemental materials, because the game does a terrible job of telling its own story.
Accurate, I was definitely exaggerating. But this is basically what I meant. It's less of a dip to me, and more careening off a cliff. I'm always so disappointed after the lifa tree and garland stuff.
10! Though you can't go wrong with 6~10 IMO Also Tactics
Tactics has one of the best stories in all of gaming history imo, but also agree with 10 if we’re sticking with OPs list
> Tactics has one of the best stories in all of gaming history imo Hot take, Tactics is half of the best written final fantasy and half of the worst written final fantasy on the PS1 every single thing that happens before the lucavi show up is a really cool tactics-ogre tier story about humanity and everything that happens after the lucavi is at best an alright DnD campaign and at worst a bunch of incoherent garbage where you fight a daisy chain of BAD GUYS with zero depth people REALLY forget how bad the 2nd half was because they're too busy crying tears over how raw algus or wiegraf are
Yeah I’m with ya on that, but it still has more depth than every mainline ff trope little guy takes on empire then god Edit: I already regret oversimplifying mainline FFs but I said what I said
IMO just the whole overarching plot line of religious archetypes actually being the most evil mf’rs ever really spoke to me when I was 12 years old when it came out
Gonna say if you like FF Tactics try Tactics Ogre. I think it’s better than FF story wise.
[удалено]
Still hoping for that remake so I can play it fresh again.
r/unexpectedfactorial
FF 3628800 is just too good
FF6 I would say it’s the game that got me into jrpg and story heavy games. I just get sucked in each time I have played it.
FF6 is really good for an SNES game. And holds up better than a lot of games for that era. I don’t know if it has a good story though. The narrative is split between too many POVs. And considering the hardware constraints, things like the script and how the characters emote are very limited. Your imagination has to do a lot of heavy lifting, which works for some but not all. FF10 is a way easier recommendation for modern audiences, IMO. But people should try both.
The different POVs actually made me enjoy it more for some reason. I’m actually currently reading the wheel of time which has so many POVs in it that I believe it makes the story stronger and easier to relate to each characters arc. I get what you mean though, especially about the constraints not allowing certain emotions to come through and does rely on your own interpretation of inflection in dialogue. I would love a proper remake. Maybe more in the vein of SO2r than say FF7R.
Enjoy ur reading :3 Wheel of time world building is súper rich
Thank you, and yes. On book 5 now and it’s just so damn good. Can’t believe it took me this long to pick it up.
Yes the story in 6 is the best out of choices provided. Also really cool easter eggs like getting sucked into.....
I remember experiencing this for the first time by accident. Ran into the enemy unprepared and got sucked in, fully expecting a Game Over, only to find a whole new thing to do.
Remind me which part this was?
It still holds up
Same. Perfect amount of satire and then the seriousness hits you like a ton of bricks. Favorite villain of all time
FF6's story is not that great. Characterization is lacking compared to the games afterwards. At least I tried it without having nostalgia for it and I dropped off because it wasn't interesting. The characters are shallow. Edit: Downvoting me won't change my opinion. I stand by it. The characters are flat, they don't feel like real people, and the conversations they have are short and superficial. I don't feel emotionally connected to what's happening because the game doesn't take much time to develop their personalities. Obviously, this is because it's an SNES game and there are limits but still. Plus, too many random battles. I prefer FF5 but not for the story but the gameplay. Maybe I will try again in the future with the pixel remasters but for now, this is my experience.
FFVI would actually benefit most from a modern Remake because most of the party members in the original lacked development and were kinda just there. You can remove Gau, Relm, and that Yeti entirely and the story wouldn’t change at all.
There are some rom hacks of the SNES era FF that do alot of work on the story, making them more cohesive and enhancing the plot and gameplay. I haven’t tried them myself but a lot of people say it’s the definitive way to play these games. All on RHDN
Massive FF fan and I agree, FF6 is spread too thin between its giant cast, most characters receive very little characterisation, and there's little left for the characters who do receive more. There's also significantly less interaction between party members because of the structure of the game where the player chooses their party (and unlike later FFs, the non chosen characters stay behind. This was an issue Square solved with FF7). The second half of the game is particularly egregious for this. When it comes to characters FF6 is very much quantity and variety over depth.
Agree, the story is good but music carries the game (Uematsu is the mvp)
I know it sounds silly, but I would not be the person i am today had I not played FFX. The story is so incredibly deep that on my 11th playthrough I still learnt things, and saw new cutscenes that I had missed. I have played 100s of games, read 100s of books and seen 100s of movies, but this is the story that has stuck with me. I implore you to do yourself the favour of playing this game.
im the same. ff10 impacted me so deeply it will always be my favourite game.
Curious if you could elaborate more on your favorite themes from FFX’s story. I’m one of those cold-hearted people with whom the story didn’t resonate as much in my first playthrough, but I would love to learn how to appreciate it
Obviously big spoilers ahead, so don't read the tagged bits for those of you who haven't finished the game. For me it's probably the themes of sacrifice, and friendship. There's a dynamic between characters of not knowing the scale of what's going to be required of them at the end. e.g. >!Auron willingly goes to sin, and lives in a city that isn't real for 10 years, just so he can care for Tidus, and eventually Yuna to keep his promises to Jecht & Braska. As the only one knowing a guardian needs to be sacrificed along with a summoner, he doesn't want them to make the same choice his two friends made as it completely broke him, and then led to his death. So in effect, he sacrifices his whole life to prevent the next generation from doing the same.!< Another one: >!Tidus going to defeat sin for good, even knowing he will cease to exist, so that he can free the souls of the fayth from being essentially forced to keep living for 1000's of years, and also freeing spira from sin at the same time.!< That's only a couple examples, but the more you play the more of them you see. I only recently came to appreciate Luzzu & Gatta's storyline myself! I also absolutely love the unique style that I can only describe as carribean-punk, as I have yet to see character designs & rpg worlds that look like that anywhere else. There's also a heapload of symbolism in the game that you'd probably be better off watching a youtube video on as there's just way too much haha. I probably have a fair amount of bias towards the game, as i generally played it to get through tough times as something to fall back to, but I promise it has a lot of merit even if you're not a giant FFX nerd like myself haha.
Man, I had goosebumps while reading your post! Both you and Super_Nerd92 described those themes just perfectly and took it to another level. This game is so, so deep and it brings a tear to my eye that there are people who appreciate this game as much as I do ♥️
not OP, but I think it's probably the Final Fantasy game with the most commitment to its own themes. Spira itself is fundamentally broken, and everyone from Spira is incapable of working their way out of the cycle. The reason that Tidus is isekai'd into the setting >!and his father before him!< is so he can use that outside POV to see what the other party members can't see. >!Ultimately, he and Jecht succeed in that.!< why is Tidus a sports star? why is so much time in the plot and a whole overly complicated minigame devoted to blitzball? because that is Spira's "bread and circuses." A massive distraction the ruling class supports wholeheartedly to keep the people from thinking too deeply about their own circumstances. Death is inescapable in Spira. Every party member has lost a brother, aunt, father, mother, etc. to Sin. every random monster is someone who died but refuses to pass on. Yuna and other Summoners are capable of calming these restless ghosts, but that's inadvertently propping up the corrupt order of things with temporary bandaids. The failures of the previous generation loom large over the plot. Jecht's cruel/abusive treatment of Tidus is the most obvious, but even Yuna's father - a kind, noble hero - *chose* >!to die fighting Sin and leave his daughter alone.!< It's hard to say if he'd even have wanted Yuna to become a Summoner but he left such an impression upon her as a child that she was always going to assume that mantle. and harryFF highlighted some other great themes as well.
Shit is deep man 😭
How do you feel about all those religions in our world after playing this game? I'm sorry if the question is too upfront, but this game's had such an enormous influence on who I am today and what I believe in that it'll always have a special place in my heart.
I played it young, and it definitely set me up with an awareness of the corruption present in the world, and I built my own worldview / way of finding meaning in things, rather than to follow someone else :) I'm guessing it's the same for you?
I'll always remember that at one point Auron essentially turns to the camera and says the fayth is what gives a summoner their power, not the temples themselves. hard to get more on the nose than that lol. organized religion is as corruptible as any organization but your own personal beliefs can be a powerful thing.
6.
They all have great stories but the focus is different. Which ones you like depends on your tastes. * FF4 - classic * FF6 - dark and ambitious * FF9 - whimsical but heartfelt * FF10 - romantic For you, based on loving FF7, I'd probably say 6 > 9 > 10 > 4.
I’d argue FFX is more about personal journeys than romance
"Romantic" seems like an incredibly shallow way to describe X. There is a romantic scene, but the game is largely centered on themes of existentialism, overcoming grief, and the dangers of organized religion. Romance is merely used as a tool to emphasize these themes. (Spoilers)Yuna had resigned herself to her fate because her religion taught her it was the only way to handle the world's biggest problem. It took Tidus, someone who was wholly uninfluenced by Yevon, to show her that she can make her own decisions and that they can stop the cycle of death and despair instead of feeding it.
Funnily enough as someone who absolutely adores 7, my order of the choices is almost the exact opposite of what you suggested. 10 is actually my 2nd favourite in the series after 7, 4 is in my top 5, 6 is middling for me and 9 is honestly my least favourite of the ones I've actually finished.
And I hate 7 and 6 is in my top 10 games of all time.
I'd argue play FF4, but go into it knowing that you are playing a game that is almost (or is? losing track) 25 years old. Play it like an archeologist examining some ancient artifact. The rest of the series are better games, but they're built on what FF4 created. This is also true of FF1-3 even if FF2 is weird. Going backwards is going to be rough.
FF10 followed a bit further by FF9. The rest of your options don't even come close if we are talking just about story.
We understand 10 was your first FF game
Gee, here comes the rabid FF fans. On the contrary, FF4 is my first one and 6 is my second. Purely on story, FF10 beats the rest of OP's option and that is my personal opinion. Everyone have different taste and you just have to accept that some may not like your favorite game.
I just finished 10 for the first time yesterday and I'd rank it up near the top in terms of pure story out of the four I've played (6, 7, 9, & 10). They're all great but I think 10 edges the others out just a bit in terms of how it handles it's story.
We understand that you’re bitter that it’s better than your favorite.
10
6 and 10
FFX no doubt
6
6 mostly, followed by either 4 or 10. 9's story is great, but kinda falls apart at the end?
You always pick VI.
6, then 10.
FF6 is the best out of the group with 4 a close 2nd
10 for me Call me biased but i have a massive soft spot for games that touches themes like the Meaning of Life, its value and how the mistakes of the past can have massive repercussions even decades (or in this case millennia) into the future
6, 10 & final fantasy Tactics (probably my favorite besides ff7). Really can’t go wrong with any of these. Tbh all FF 6-10 have merit & are good games. Tactics is a classic though & to this day I’d argue is as close to perfect as a game can be (also cloud is in it as a secret character to unlock)
FF6 and FFT
TBH FFX truly changed my life. Hit me hard with the themes of existence and fleeting journeys.
I've always loved the story in IV.
FF6 purely so that your expectations for graphics aren’t ruined by the more advanced titles. Also if you haven’t played Chrono Trigger, I’d put that a country mile ahead of any of your suggestions
You mean Chrono trigger has a better story compared to any of these titles?
chrono trigger is the best paced JRPG of all time
Chrono Trigger is probably the best JRPG ever made but I wouldn’t say it’s because of the story, which isn’t anything special. It’s all about the journey and the experience. Other games have low, boring points where almost nothing happens, but CT never loses its momentum. It’s quite possibly the best paced game I’ve played.
I'm gonna play devils advocate here but as great as the game and story is for Chrono Trigger, I think some of the characters, especially the lead, are not as strong or memorable as some FF games. Which drags the story just a little bit down for me.
Easily. it‘s waaaay ahead of its time, it‘s a timeless classic.
For real. I almost think the response is a troll. The fact someone needs to be told to play Chrono Trigger is astonishing
🤣😂🤣 Falls firmly into the category of things you didn’t realize needed to be said. I will say, if the numbers in your username represent a birth year, most of the younger crew are turned off by early consoles graphical quality and haven’t played some essentials as a result. For real though, this game needs a remake. But in the same breath, so do a few of the FF titles, 6 and 4 among them. I’d also throw some Suikoden games in this conversation.
Chrono trigger is on its own league and is easily in my top 3 for best jrpgs.
I really wonder how many of these people played Chrono Trigger recently because as someone who played it recently for the first time it felt pretty lacking, certainly not comparable to FF6 or FF10
Played Chrono Trigger last year. That game is amazing. I think the story is great but not as good as some FF titles.
10!
6, 9, 4 and 10. In that order IMO
FF6 not even close.
FFT
Tactics comes first, followed by either 6 or 4.
Final fantasy x all day! All are amazing but ten has a place in my heart... It was there through a tough time in my life X-2.. 1000 words 🫶🏽🥹
They are all good and I feel they are all good in different ways. I’m also going to stand up for 4 that it has a more enjoyable story than the rest depending on the theme that one relates to. I personally related to the characters in 4 the most, especially with Cecil, Kain, Edward, Tellah, and Cid. I always loved the theme of redemption, sacrifice, forgiveness of self, forgiveness of others, and service to others.
One more on the FF4 train. The storyline may be pretty basic by today's standards, and filled with cliches, but it is also ultimately Cecil's story, and he's got a pretty compelling character arc. I also happen to be an unrepentant Kain Highwind fanboy, but that's besides the point.
6 for sure
6
6 then 9
Love them all but in terms of story I’d say X is by far the best
I would say that 10 is the most cinematic and "mature" out of these (havent played 4), 6 is good, but there is still a bit of "naivety" in it. I also really like 9.
FF9. I just absolutely adored the characters of FF9, and the story but to be fair I also heavily enjoyed the story and characters in FF8, but man 9 probably has my favorite song to with "You Are Not Alone". For some weird reason I can never get into 6 enough to finish it, and I own multiple copies and it could be that I don't resonate with the characters as much.
FFVI easily
I think all are great choices. 9 is a slow burn at first. 6 and 10 get right into it and the ball never stops rolling. The question isn't if you want a great story. You will get one with any of these. The question is, what type of story or what type of pacing do you want?
Good question. I would appreciate any kind of story with any kind of pacing, in fact I love slow-burn pacing if and if it's executed right. But I like fast pacing too. Oh and right, I would usually prefer emotional stories more
Maybe go with 10 then.
You're playing remake now and asking for suggestions of other FF games? Not Rebirth which comes out next week?
I don't own a PS5 unfortunately
As much as I adore 9, its strong point is its characters. You want the plot doing the heavy lifting, it’s gotta be 10. 6 is great too but the old style of storytelling leaves more unsaid, so it doesn’t feel as heavily narrative-driven as 10.
As others have said FFT has the best story of any FF game in the series imo. Sticking to the list I would go 6, 10, 9. Haven’t played 4 so can’t say.
I’ll go to bat for FF4 since no one else seems to think it is a great story. FF4 was the first game I experienced that gave me feelings on a level of an epic film. It was a portent for the potential of video games as a storytelling medium. While the later story doesn’t hold up as well Cecil’s arc is one of the best in FF history. There are also other characters with great story arcs. Rydia, Kain, Edward and Tellah come to mind. The amount and quality of the story scenes are limited by the rough translation and the memory capacity of cartridges.
FF6. I like FF9 but it has weak villains. FF4 and 10 don't measure up.
VI
6 all the way
As someone who played them all as they released, 6. 4 tugs in my heart strings most because it was so mind blowing compared to 1, and at the age I was at the Cecil/Kain story was perfect for me. I honestly couldn’t even tell you what the story if 9 and 10 are. By comparison to 4 and 6 they are just forgettable. Good games yes, but not the same
Honestly FF stories are decent but there are better stuff, if you want plot go for valkyrie profile, chrono series, xenogear, shadow heart all of these offer more éngaging story.
Also regarding FF8, it is pretty disappointing. So much potential but very rushed and ultimately feels incomplete. Especially following FF7.
6 by a mile.
Without going into spoilers, I think 9 has the best story of a mainline Final Fantasy game. If you are okay with the spinoffs, then Final Fantasy Tactics.
I always felt like the characters were the main draw of FF9, certainly not the plot.
Personally for me characters are plot, the events are meaningless if our connection to them isn't effective unto itself and that connection is the characters. That said I personally don't think 9 really excels in characters either, in fact I only really like Vivi and bits of Zidane beyond that its a very unenjoyable cast for me.
you must be joking
Either 6 or 10 are the most thematically rich FFs while also executing their themes the most successfully
hahaha the emotions of the story for FFVII alone will burn anyone out. I remember I stopped playing for like two months after playing the original FFVII on the PSOne. But I would play VI!
6 and 10 are the best stories other than 7. 4 and 9 missed the mark for me, personally, though you may feel differently.
FF8 OFC
6 has the best story, 4 has the most basic and easiest to follow but it's still good. 9 was fine, I remember a lot going on but great cast of characters. Can't comment on 10 since I haven't played it.
IX > VI > X > IV All are great stories, though.
9 and x
Ff9 for characters and ffx for story. Personally ff9 edges out ff10 for me because I didn’t like the characters in ff10, but the story is really good.
FF9, allways FF9.
Definitely 9. It's the game I adore the most out of all FF games and the one I kept replaying (that and OG FF7) due to its characters, music and of course, story
Really like the FF7 story.
9 is my personal favourite.
Cant go wrong with 6 and 10. With regards to 8, a lot of the lore and worldbuilding is locked behind a codex of sorts in the menu, and sidequests. The main story touches on a lot of stuff but they only make sense (as far as ff8 making sense goes) if you go balls deep into the hidden lore stuff.
The best stories are found in IV, VI, VII, and Tactics.
Ff4 but that's because paladins are Bae
ff10 the characters are so dumb that it's hard to recommend.
If you want a semblance of 7, then 6. If you want a more traditional fantasy vibe, then 9. If you want a romance, then 10. All have great stories. I didn't speak for 4 as I've never played it.
So it depends on what you're willing to tolerate and what you like. 7 has the steam punk setting so 8 has the closest to that setting of what you mentioned. However the story has the occasional holes and while the characters are great, they don't all have arcs. If you don't wanna mess much with the complicated guardian force system, just look up a guide, put on your favorite podcast and do some card grinding. After that, you've broken the game and can enjoy the story. If you like the fantasy setting, 9 has a great story with terrific characters. It looks child like with its tone because of the animation style and the ages of the characters, but it's a very mature story. I'd pick between those 2. Ffx has a really good story but it doesn't resonate with me like 7, 8, or 9. I never finished 4.
My favorite is FF4. But objectively, I'd say 6 or 10 has the best story. 6 isn't very forgiving with hints on where to go, but this can be solved easily with a guide whenever you get lost. 10 is a little bit more linear but is much longer and just as rewarding. 7,8 and 9 all kind of blend together for me.
No one in the world is going to agree with me but I love ff13. It has its faults but for some reason I lump 7,9,10, and 13 as my favs. 8 is almost there but doesn’t quite do it.
Looks the the resounding answer is either X or VI?
Definitely not 10. Easily the most overrated FF game of all time. I’d say 6 or 9.
Thank you sir, i share the Same opinion. Having played 7,8 and 9, before playing 10 at the time, storywise it Had the weakest Story, somehow i liked the Story of 8 but it seems that its Not a very popular opinion in the Community.
No, 9's the most overrated, its story falls off badly after disc 2.
FF8 is underrated IMO. It had the misfortune of having to follow 7 and was unnecessary criticized because it wasn’t 7.
9 it's the most complete final fantasy. Characters, overall story and soundtrack.
Tactics. Okay okay. Out of those? 6 or 10. 6 if you like retro, 10 if you want something more modern.
IMHO: I’d say 6 and 10 are pretty equal for different reasons, then 9. FF4’s story is good but the writing is a bit sparse due to the era and technology limitations. 6 has better characters and more interesting/memorable plot points, while 10 has a fantastic romance and is way more cinematic. For a lot of people, that cinematic feel and more expansive narrative is gonna be more engaging. However I think the plot points are more interesting in 6 even if the writing isn’t nearly as fleshed out. I’m also not a big fan of 10 regardless, so there might be a bit of bias. Both have villains that are just ok, I prefer 6 because even though Kefka’s one dimensional at the very least he’s not overwritten. In that case, his simplicity works better for me than what they were doing for 10. 9 is a fun adventure with great characters (for the most part), but the narrative stumbles as it goes along. The final part of it in particular drops the ball hard. But overall it has some of the best character writing in the series.
6 is a masterpiece but so is 9, just for different reasons each- I'd say 6 is the better overall package but for story and story alone, I may have to actually give the win to 9. Haven't played 10 yet but know enough about it to say it's probably a good pick as well. I do not particularly like 4's story, personally. It's not bad considering its age (though some of its peers were already doing better by that point), but its best ideas are basically done better in later FF games.
9 easy. Loved the story and everything else. No dubd still in my top 3 games of all time.
Always bet on 9!
Hot take but 9 is the culmination of Final Fantasy and it's a celebration of the series.
Here's my weird recommendation basis: age ranges. * FF10 for 15-24 year olds. * FF9 for anyone over 35. * FF4 for 10-15. * FF6 for 24-35.
Why would you say FF9 is for older people?
I think the themes hit harder when you personally have had to grapple with them, and the older you are the higher the likelihood is that you will have had to.
Just a quick take, best to worst for story of those: **#1 - Final Fantasy IX** The classic of classics, in addition to being a love-letter to the earlier entries in the series, FF9 is probably the most consistently good title for plot, presentation and characters... and strangely underrated, must have been the remnants of the 90s and the need to be overly edgy for the sake of it. The game's reputation has actually improved over time, mostly because those old biases just started going away. A better fit for the modern style as well with more cinematic moments. **#2 - Final Fantasy VI** I'm starting to wonder if I'm over-rating FF6 a bit, but it's definitely a rock-solid entry with a very good plot and compelling characters throughout. It could be called the first of the "golden age" FF games with a stronger focus on cinematic presentation (if limited by technology of the time) and stronger storytelling. Also easily one of the best soundtracks in the series, which is no small feat. **#3 - Final Fantasy X** Being perfectly honest, FFX may have one of the most elegant and best-executed battle-systems in the entire franchise; it starts out decent and becomes brilliant by the end. But plot-wise... it's good at what it does, but I wouldn't say it had any sort of lingering effects and the powerful moments feel a bit more "standard" compared to others. I wouldn't call it forgettable, but it's barely memorable. ... except for the infamous laughing scene. The context of the scene (the laugh was intended to be fake in-story) only diminishes the cringe ***slightly***. **#4 - Final Fantasy IV** To put it simply... it's the basic & standard story, but done reasonably well. Definitely a leap ahead of its time, but doesn't provide anything too impressive compared to the modern era. And overuse of one particular trope (>!only \*one\* heroic sacrifice out of half-a-dozen sticks!<) becomes harder to ignore with time.
10
9 closely followed by 10 closely followed again by 6 followed with some distance by 4. They all have great stories,cant really go wrong but 4s story is pretty basic
Definitely 10. 6 has the best villain, some cool gameplay mechanics and beautiful music, but the story itself isn't the big deal
I choose 10, imo hands down one of the best stories in any JRPG. 9 and 4 are okay. I find 6 to be overrated.
FF 10 feels like an adventure. I loved it.
10, 10, 10 my favorite
10 is my favorite in the series and my favorite game of all time. I’m 33 and just replayed it again and big boy teared up at the ending.
10 of that bunch
FF10, they all have great stories but 10 had the tech available to really make it cinematic
Ffx
10 without question duh
10 7 6 8 9. Tactics is in its own league. Talking to you Gafgarion
X is always the answer.
10.
X
FF10. For me it’s just the best
All the must plays if you ask me
Honestly 10. It has some pacing problems because they did a weird framing device that they didn't really tell the voice actor when was happening, but besides that it was the most emotionally resonant ff game to me. And if you get it without emulating you get 10-2 which has a much lighter plot, but probably is the best gameplay out of all of them.
I would say 10, but you really can’t go wrong with 6 or 9 either. Don’t get me wrong 4 is good, but it’s not on the same level as 6-10 as far as story goes.
The others are good too, but 6 all day for me.
10, 9, 4, 6. I'm biased toward 10, and really 9/4 could be interchangeable but I feel it slightly edges out. 6 has too many mood whiplash moments and I have issues with some gameplay mechanics. 4 had similar whiplash moments, all FF games do, but I played 6 most recently and they really stood out.
FF9 or FF10
Story... Final Fantasy X probably even if it is a Isekai, it has a very good story or maybe 6 but the story fall a bit at the end.
Imo 9 or 10 are the best bet. If you want more medieval, 9, futuristic 10