General Final Fantasy Thread

[TheLuckyOne]

After 12 games and umpteen spinoffs, it looks like this series might have some legs, so I figured a sort of catch-all thread would be justified. You can discuss anything FF-related that catches your fancy, but here's a few basic questions to get you started... feel free to add your own.


What was the first Final Fantasy game you ever played?

FF I. I am old.

Which Final Fantasy games have you played?

I, II, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, and X-2. As far as spinoffs, I think I played one of the Game Boy "FF Legend" games on a bus trip or something, but only for a few minutes. And depending on whether you count them, the two main Kingdom Hearts games. I have IV and Tactics but haven't played them yet.

Which Final Fantasy games have you beaten? Are there any you specifically want to get to, or conversely, any you have no interest in?

Beaten: I, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, and X-2. (Plus Kingdom Hearts 1 & 2 if those count.) I'm playing II now and will get to IV and Tactics... uh, someday. Maybe when my daughter's grown.

I think for me the series kind of ended on the PS2... I had no interest in the online elements of XI and I doubt I'll ever check out XII, so X-2 was kind of it for me. Now it's just a matter of going back and filling in the ones I haven't played yet.

What's your favorite game in the series?

VI, definitely. VII will always be a groundbreaking game that brought the series out of 2-D land and started in with the environmental themes, and it had some great character development. But inferior graphics or not, nothing can rival the rich character interaction and in-depth (and incredibly prolific) plotlines of VI. There's just so much to do, enough sidequests to keep it interesting but not so many (and not repetitive, like the card games in later entries) that it gets monotonous.

Honorable mention to IX for serving as a fitting tribute to the series' history, bringing back the medieval settings and plot importance of crystals and archaic job classes of early entries.

Favorite character(s)?

Probably Locke from VI, although Setzer and Sabin are pretty high on the list too. And I really enjoyed Zidane from IX, most likely because after dueling mopey protaganists Cloud and Squall, he was a breath of lighthearted fresh air.

Favorite Villain?

Definitely Kefka from VI. Pretty boy Sephiroth gets all the attention because angsty goth kids identify with him and teenage girls know if they could just look deep into those dark, soulful eyes, they could see past the hurt and redeem his tortured psyche. Kefka, on the other hand, is just flurking evil. He's gloriously insane, revelling in his evil and enjoying the hell out of it. Not worshipping him sincerely enough? Lightning from above. He's also a badass, requiring all 12 of your characters in a 3-part boss fight to defeat. Plus, he looks like an evil clown.

Apparently Square Enix will soon release Dissidia: Final Fantasy, a fighting game. Presumably to spare themselves the inevitable "how could you leave out [my favorite character]?!?", they only included the main hero and main villain from each of the first ten games, plus a hero from XI and a villain from XII. However, longtime (read: old) fans know that the heroes of FF I and III were totally interchangeable, no names or personalities. If it were up to you, what two other characters would you put in their place, from any game in the series?

Mog from VI, and Vivi from IX. I likes the cute.


-D

[BlackCatWhiteCat]

Jul 21, 2009 15:24:42 GMT -5 TheLuckyOne said:

After 12 games and umpteen spinoffs, it looks like this series might have some legs, so I figured a sort of catch-all thread would be justified. You can discuss anything FF-related that catches your fancy, but here's a few basic questions to get you started... feel free to add your own.

What was the first Final Fantasy game you ever played?

FF VIII

Which Final Fantasy games have you played?

VIII, X, X-2, and XII.

Which Final Fantasy games have you beaten? Are there any you specifically want to get to, or conversely, any you have no interest in?

I've only beaten X. I broke up with the guy whose PSone I was using to play VIII right about the time I got halfway through it. I almost beat X-2, but the data got wiped from my card and, seeing as the game sucks the kind of Popsicle meant for Decepticons, I haven't been able to play it again. I'm working on XII and, as Kaleb and I have discussed, I really don't like it and am not sure I'll finish that one, either.

I have no interest in XI. The pure and simple idea of shelling out money for a game, only to then be forced a monthly fee to play it, is beyond insulting.

What's your favorite game in the series?

Not that it has much competition but X, no doubt. I have trouble believing that I''ll like another one in the series that much. The characters were so fantastic, the graphics were beautiful, and the plot was very well thought out and executed. Also it was just darned fun to play.

Favorite character(s)?

WAKKA!

Could have something to do with one of my favorite voice actors voicing him, though.

Favorite Villain?

I hate to be so predictable, but I'm going to have to go with X again. I haven't gotten that far into XII's story, I can't even remember the one from VIII, and the villain of X-2 was just ridiculous.

Apparently Square Enix will soon release Dissidia: Final Fantasy, a fighting game. Presumably to spare themselves the inevitable "how could you leave out [my favorite character]?!?", they only included the main hero and main villain from each of the first ten games, plus a hero from XI and a villain from XII. However, longtime (read: old) fans know that the heroes of FF I and III were totally interchangeable, no names or personalities. If it were up to you, what two other characters would you put in their place, from `any game in the series?

I suppose I'll go with Wakka again and...Jecht? Can I do that?


-D[/quote]

[PoolMan]

What was the first Final Fantasy game you ever played?

FF I. I am older than Drew (I think).

Which Final Fantasy games have you played?

All the NES games, all the SNES games, FF Legends on the original Gameboy, all three Tactics games (PS1, GBA, DS), FF7, FF12, and FF12: Revenant Wings. I've also played some of the GBA/DS "remix" versions, although I forget which.

Dang, this series has taken a big bite out of my life!

Which Final Fantasy games have you beaten? Are there any you specifically want to get to, or conversely, any you have no interest in?

I've found the more CG goes into these things, the less I like them. Which would be why I've never finished 7 or 12, but I've finished nearly all the others named above. (I will compulsively replay 6 and the Tactics games as many times as possible - I've probably logged about 100 hours in Tactics DS)

As for what I'd like to get to... eh, I'm not feeling it any more. I think the high water mark of the series has come and gone, and with my time being rather short in supply, nothing's really calling to me. I'd be curious to see Dissidia, and I'll always clear a little time to play a new Tactics game.

What's your favorite game in the series?

I'd go with 6. Like Drew, I recognize the landmark that 7 represented for its cinematic storytelling, but I also recognize that it came at a time where CD-ROM was a groundbreaking new technology that seemed to demand FMV in place of story.

6 for me represents the high point in the series in terms of character development (and that's with a huge cast included!). There was a solid mix of drama, pathos, humour, and humanity with all the characters that actually sits atop my list of ALL games, not just the FF series.

Favorite character(s)?

For actual characterization, I really loved Cyan from 6. He's such a tragic figure, but he constantly tries to rise above that and maintain his considerable nobility. (actually, he reminds me of Frog from Chrono Trigger)

For the cool, I liked the mystique of Shadow from 6, and the Han Solo hubris of Balthier. Plus Balthier always made with the funny.

Favorite Villain?

Kefka was powerfully evil, to be sure. Watching his machiavellian scheming grow and finally pay off was actually a big surprise the first time I went through the story, and he's crazy as a loon to boot.

I also loved the recurring octopus villain from 6 (gah, can't remember his name... Ultros?). Funny, and refused to just stay down.

If it were up to you, what two other characters would you put in their place (in Dissidia), from any game in the series?

A moogle would be a must... maybe Montblanc from Tactics Advance! Sabin would be fun.. they could even incorporate his old combos. And hey, how about Cid as an unlockable, with different skins for all his different incarnations?

[TheLuckyOne]

Jul 22, 2009 1:34:49 GMT -5 BlackCatWhiteCat said:

I suppose I'll go with Wakka again and...Jecht? Can I do that?

Well, you could, but Jecht's already in the game as the villain for X. Lulu, maybe? That'll have the fanboys scrambling for a nudity code.

Jul 22, 2009 11:01:42 GMT -5 PoolMan said:

Dang, this series has taken a big bite out of my life!

Tell me about it. Ever stop to think of your total amount of time playing Final Fantasy games versus your total amount of time, say, making out or getting romantic with a woman? I don't recommend it.

In other news, I'm a couple of days into FF II. It's got the wierdest stat-increasing system... you don't gain experience, your stats just rise based on how often you perform certain actions and how often you get hit. So, for instance, if you have a character constantly use the "Fight" command in every battle, he'll gain in strength and accuracy but decrease in intelligence and magic. It also leads to a situation where it's actually to your benefit to have your characters attack themselves, because if they finish a battle low in HP, they'll gain a boost to total HP. There's also a glitch where if you order a character to attack a monster, then cancel the action before it takes place, the character still gets "credit" for it in the stat-building system. So by constantly targeting and then cancelling attacks, you can make your characters experts in their weapons (and level spells up to their highest levels) within, like, five battles if you have the patience. Craziest damn system I've ever seen.

-D