Been waiting for this one! Should say before this that my criteria for FF games being good or not usually has very little to do with the combat. I come to this series for stories and characters and can mostly slog through anything if I like those elements enough. Sometimes I find genuine joy in the combat but it’s just not what I’m here for.
FF I-V:
Haven’t played any of them and the only one I’m interested in is IV which I have the PSP version of. I have such a hard time connecting with JRPGs of the 8 and 16 bit eras so not sure I’ll like it but I’m interested at least. Might also give that 3D remake of III a try at some point too.
FFVI:
As stated in the other thread: hate it. Have tried to play it multiple times and I dislike it more every time.
FFVII:
My favorite cast in the series. Gameplay is good but the characters tend to just be Materia vessels without that much differentiation of their own. Classic locations and music. Great story. Piecing Cloud’s mind back together is an all time great sequence.
FFVIII:
Another one I’ve tried a few times and haven’t been able to find the fun in. I don’t know that it’s bad but the junction system is weird and confusing to me. Is a game I constantly feel like I’m not playing well and that I’m going to be punished for it later on. I have the remastered one though and am determined to one day get through it. If only to see the weirdo plot through.
FFIX:
This one is interesting because I see people always say that is a nostalgia grab and a game for you if you like old FFs. I don’t have any attachment to those games though and I love this one. Sublime character work and an beautiful world. Vivi’s story is the best stuff in the entire franchise IMO.
FFX:
Timeless story and characters for me. Heavy handed in its religion criticism but still hits well. Fun gameplay, like switching the party around. Genuinely sweet. Very easy to get absorbed into. Some really bullshit bosses. Seymour is mad creepy.
FFX-2:
Really underrated. One of the only FF games where I come back to it for its battle system more than the characters. Chaotic fun.
FFXI:
Played it when I was a kid for two months and then stopped being able to afford it. Liked it.
FFXII:
Missed this one when it first came around and then played a good chunk of it when Zodiac Age hit. I like it and want to finish it some day. I think the gambit stuff is brilliantly designed but idk if it’s for me. I don’t have fun being in menus like that too much. Have a feeling that the speed up function in this game is a god send.
FFXIII:
Played a handful of hours of it and honestly thought it was pretty good. Has maybe the worst case of jargon brain of any game ever. Really confusing to find your footing in the story. Really relies on you going into the well written and very extensive encyclopedia to actually learn what anything is. Gameplay is fun. Characters are weird. I wanna finish it and play it’s apparently much better sequels one day. Put them on Switch. Oh great fucking music too.
FFXIV:
Working through it but love.
FFXV:
I don’t even feel like pretending to be nice to this game. It’s horrific. What story is there is depicted in the most incompetent way. They took scenes from the terrible CG movie and just inserted them into the game and call that story telling. Characters are flat boring wet cardboard scraps. Combat works as intended like 7-12% of the time. Terrible DLC episodes. The worst female lead in the series. You might forget she’s there! The just unbelievably bad fights against the giant bosses. I agree with the post here that the open world was the best part. It was kinda barren and janky but it was genuinely the only part of the game I enjoyed.
FFVIIR:
To me this is the best single player FF since X-2. Outside of a few pretty annoying and not at all fun encounters I enjoyed the combat a lot. Loved the character work. Loved the ending. I didn’t have much faith in SE going into it since it has been uhhhh a while since they really produced a great single player FF but I think they nailed it. Padding and all lol.
Spin-offs:
Kingsglaive FFXV:
lmfao
Crisis Core:
Bad game, loved seeing all the story content though.
Theatrhythm FF:
Fantastic rhythm game if you like FF music. Pick up Curtain Call if you want a good time.
World of FF:
Cute but mostly just kinda boring.
The various FF mobile gacha games:
Mostly not worth playing. Record Keeper is kinda cool.
Dissidia in all its forms:
Truly what the fuck is going on here