I started at 7 and looked forwards to every iteration of the series since then, 8 was more of the same with a weird story, 9 was cute and a good throwback, then I went back to 6 which was a masterpiece, 10 was emotional and beautiful, 12 wasn’t great but had cool worldbuilding, being a FFT fan.
Here is when it starts to diverge a little. I would call this the start of ‘modern’ FFs
I actually liked 13’s battle system, it worked out many of the kinks of old systems, like healing after each battle and focused on each interaction as a puzzle to be solved. The story was OK and then the sequels kinda tried to do something different. Lightning Returns had terrible reviews, possible due to the time limit, which is why I never tried it
14 had a bad start and did a reboot to become a well loved MMO, but starting in the first world is such a chore with outdated MMO mechanics as someone who started later
15 was ambitious and unfinished. the first time I was truly disappointed in a FF game.
Then, we have the FF7 remakes, which are amazing, it seems that all the effort, the team members who have passion all signed up for this and it shows, but there’s a strong nostalgia bias to it.
Now reading the reviews for 16, it seems there’s no real reason to give it a try. At this point, I’m not sure what comes after the final FF7 game, is there a way to make 17 something people would care about?
X is around the time FF lost it’s main architect, Sakaguchi (technically sooner , but dev times I imagine it overlapped). Guys a class act that was with them since the beginning, but he started his own company after a falling out with the direction SE brass wanted to take things. He was the one pushing to always have life and death as main themes and kept certain other producers in line.
I always recall an anecdote on FF7, as him, Kitase and Nomura were working out story. Sakaguchi required a meaningful death in the plot. Kitase (who we can thank for FF6s second half) suggested the whole cast die except one who the player chooses. Nomura talked them down from that. FF7 was his baby (so much so that he’s the character designer and artist), hence why he’s so present on the remake. That said, they kept each other in check and Nomura gets really weird ideas (KHs being his lead, for example).
After Sakaguchi departure, 11 was modeled after EverQuest and had a newish team, 12 was written most by FFT scenario team but had a change mid devolpment midway (the SE brass wanted a plucky young protag, Vaan was late development), 13 was so overbudget that they had to make sequels to recoup costs, 14 1.0 was mostly old guard 11 people with no idea about optimization, 14 2.0 was Yoshida learning from WoW success (flaws and all) but adding “FF theme park” plus a great writing staff, 15… similar to 12 in changes mid production, but iirc it was the SE brass shoehorning bad ideas and plot required DLC, and 16 is Yoshida and his core team making a pretty solid ARPG but with some tedium due to his MMO roots (and if you like 7R you’d probably be ok with 16).
Anyone can like or dislike a game, so I’m just giving you the long range of production issues that are objectively damaging the experience. It’s ok to like flawed games. I know an unhealthy amount of video game industry lore, and the biggest thing I can’t even say because of an NDA. lol
(Bonus fun fact, FF6 was meant to end at the halfway point but was so ahead of schedule and funds they went ahead and created the second half. It’s my favorite FF lol)
I’m just disappointed in the way Square Enix seems to think turn-based combat is anathema for some reason. The series has abandoned its roots, it just isn’t FF to me.
I’ve played and beat every single numbered FF title except for 11.
The new ones are good, just different. No one likes every single FF game, everyone has a favorite they associate with the time they jumped into the series, and then all others end up colored by how similar or different they seem to that ideal one.
Even the people in this thread bashing FF13 would probably be surprised to know how many people out there think it’s the best (I know, a shock).
I can share my own opinions on which games are good or bad, but it’s ultimately meaningless unless your tastes happen to coincide identically to my own.
And besides, everybody knows 9 is the best, without question.
Fuck it, here’s my hot takes:
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Short, but feels just the right length, I appreciate how it seems to borrow more strongly from the D&D roots the series developed from (e.g. spell slots instead of MP)
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First game with defined characters. Enjoyed it but the Elder Scrolls style of leveling through ability use made it feel like you have to play a certain way and I probably grinded more than I needed to by the end.
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It’s aight. First game with jobs. Eternal Wind is a good track.
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First game with an ambitious story. Thought it was good, but a bit overhyped.
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The best of the 2D games and I won’t hear anyone say otherwise.
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I liked the large cast of characters in the first half. I didn’t like having to re-get the cast of characters in the second half. Good, but also overhyped.
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Most ambitious transition between games, going from 2D to 3D. I know it’s the darling of the franchise, and it is undoubtably good and packed with content, but I feel it has aged the worst of all of them.
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I can see why it is some people’s favorite and a lot of other people’s least favorite. Unbelievably charming cast. Good ideas with the combat but could have used another pass.
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The first FF game I played. Amazing cast of characters and an amazing story. Tetra Master is bullshit. Debatably not a JRPG by some definitions.
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Love the game to death, yet hate Tidus so much. I couldn’t get into Blitzball.
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Does the current Alliance Raid series in 14 count?
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The Gambit System ruined the rest of the franchise for a lot of people (interpret that however you like).
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Better than people give it credit for. Not without flaws but a lot of the hate feels more like folks never got out of the tutorial. Also, the tutorial is two thirds of the entire game.
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Best story of the entire FF series, but also the one that you’ll need to work the hardest to get through. Also, did you know that thereisafreetrialuptolevel70withnorestrictionsonplaytimeincludingtheawardwinningHeavenswardandStormbloodexpansions?
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A fun game with a good story and cast of characters, but the missing chunks of the game that it was supposed to be are apparent.
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Didn’t like it as much as I thought I would but still found it to be overall enjoyable. Heaviest story an FF game has ever told (including Tactics). Wish there was more of a “party” but Clive and Ben Starr’s voice work are too good not to love.
Bonus 7R hot takes:
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Remake: Somehow they turned a 4-hour chunk of the original game into an enjoyable 40-hour story without it feeling too drawn out. Great gameplay. Plot changes actually helped me appreciate the sequel more. Anyone worried about the game being a money grab sold in 3 parts doesn’t know what they’re missing.
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Rebirth: Despite people’s apprehensions about plot changes, it manages to continue being incredibly faithful to the original story, with some tasteful additions. Probably the most uncompromising AAA game I’ve ever played. Can’t help but love it, and am really interested to see where part 3 goes.
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Some of us have favorites that arrived well after starting the series.
That said, I feel the need to tap the sign: if anyone thinks mainline Final Fantasy games are bad, they need to play some genuinely bad games for perspective. There are plenty available even within the genre: Beyond the Beyond, Ancient Roman, Lunar Dragon Song, etc.
The series is constantly reinventing itself, and that’s going to leave people behind. SQEX still manages to retain consistently high production quality despite that.
