I just updated my initial thread today, July 19th.
... Well here's my unofficial ranking of the series. A couple of notes: I am a STORY and CHARACTERS type of guy. That's really the main component I used in ranking the games. I recently changed my rankings around a bit to reflect this (IV is now ranked higher than V and VII higher than VI). Next would come Game play and innovation. So without further ado here are my VERY subjective rankings.
12.
- This game is very dated. The level-up system was broken on the NES version, but fixed on the remakes. That doesn't make it any better though. There isn't much else to say about this game other than it may have been great when it was released, but it's shown it's age enough to be surpassed by every other game on the list.
11.
- I finally got a crack at this game on the DS recently. Although I really enjoyed it for what it was, the Job/Class system was improved in almost every way in Final Fantasy V. The story and characters were okay, pretty boring and "cook-cutter" by today's RPG standards, but I could definitely understand them being very breakthrough at the time of it's release. This game introduced a lot of new features that would make it's way on to future FF titles. So I can appreciate the game for that.
10.
- The first Final Fantasy on the PS2. It had beautiful graphics and excellent gameplay. The Sphere grid was and interesting and new innovative way to build characters, and for the most part I liked it. But it also had TERRIBLE voice acting, and that's what pretty much killed it for me. I am used to reading Final Fantasy games and using my imagination to how the character's sound and their tone. Having terrible voice actors read their lines with hardly any emotion and frequent pause and breaks in the middle of lines really ruined the experience for me. Not only that, but I really did not like any of the characters. All of them were just... boring. Even the "cool character with a big sowrd", Auron, didn't do much for me. It could've been mostly their voices, I suppose, or something else. But for whatever reason I finished the game not feel any kind of attachment or caring about any of the characters (The only emotion I did feel is that I wanted that stupid Waka to DIE). Except for the stunning graphics and the best "Classic Turn Based" Battle System of the series... this game didn't have much else that I liked about it. I take that back, the ending is very solid and emotional.
9.
- This Final Fantasy was unlike the rest in so many ways. It stepped away from the traditional Final Fantasy and went the route of MMORPG. This game is huge, tons of content, this Final Fantasy easily packs the most gameplay and hours to sink into out of the series. The battle system was the first "Non-Traditional" Battle System in the series, doing away from the Classic Turn Based. As much I enjoyed the battle system and overall feel to the game; I prefer a traditional FF game any day. For starters, I was an expecting a sweeping epic storyline that had a beginning where you and the people you joined up with would be experienced online. Of course the game had no storyline like the series is known for, and everything in the game was tied together by a basic plot that you could either pay attention to or not, it didn't matter. The monthly fee and amount of time required to dedicate to this game were a few of the major things I didn't like about it. Forming a party could take sometimes up to an hour, then going out to find things to kill with your party, and then actually fighting, and then someone leaving the party... it just took SO LONG to really make any progress in the game. The game had great innovation in it's battle system that will probably stick around for the remainder of the series in the future.
8.
- I recently got a chance to play the PSP remake of the very first Final Fantasy, and it is GOOD! A very fun, easy to get into game. The remakes on PSX, GBA, and PSP make it very accessible to even non-hardcore RPG fans. It has the shortest length of the series and the simplest gameplay. The remakes make a really nice, simple starting point for those who want to get into the series. I rank this game high because of what it accomplished at a time no other game had even attempted to do before. And it's also worth mentioning the game's soundtrack. Looking back to games like Zelda on NES which looped the same tune over and over, this game really broke ground by providing gamers with a unique soundtrack that would become a staple in the series.
7.
- I wanted to rank this one higher, I really did. It is one of the few FFs that I've completed more than once. The battle system, for the time it was released, and even still today is amazing. The Job/Ability system allows you to create a party however you want and features almost unlimited customization. The plot and storyline gets nowhere near the narrative as IV. After playing with the amazing cast of characters in IV, this one is just dull in comparison. The gameplay is Top 3 in the entire series; as Job/Class system made it's way onto every other Final Fantasy in some way, shape, form. But the characters, plot, and story are very basic and below the high standard set for the series.
6.
- The first 5 hours into this game I immediately decided that this was one of my least favorite Final Fantasy games. However, the more I played, the more I liked the characters, and the story which has as maybe has more plot twists than any other game in the series. You get five characters in your party and by the end of the game, you travel to the moon on a whale-ship! When you compare this game to the first three of the series, it was simply a HUGE step forward in overall quality. Cecil and Kain were two great characters that really for the first time gave the series characters with some real depth and personality. This game gets a lot of love by fans of the series, but personally I feel that it is just a bit out of date. Old character sprites, rough translation, and ridiculous random encounter rate make me reluctant to want to drudge through the game again. The SNES version to me is damn near unplayable, but the remake on GameBoy and PlayStation are definitely the most enjoyable experienced.
5.
- This one was a tough choice for me. Again, like X, the graphics and the gameplay are amazing. The battle system is no longer turned based and now emulates MMORPG style of gameplay, which works great and is EASILY the best of the entire series. You auto-set the actions of your characters, watch them go to battle, and adjust as needed... it works flawlessly! This game's battle system is ahead of almost every other RPG I can name in terms of it's greatness. Why is it not ranked higher? The voice acting is bad, though not as bad as X, and the story is not up to par as the rest of the series. This game doesn't put a lot of focus on the characters and more on the world around them. Halfway through the game the only thing that keeps me playing is the battle system. The best thing about this game is you can switch the metrosexual Vann out of your party. The worst thing, all of the other characters are just as boring and uninspiring.
4.
- Probably the most criticized game in the series. This game does a lot of things different, and I can appreciate it's innovation. The Junction system, the Magic "Drawing", the Salary on which you earn Gil, Triple Card Triad... I liked it all. After 7 Final Fantasy games they finally decide to do something a little different. Being able to hit R1 for an extra attack with your characters added a little extra gameplay to the standard "Select Attack" on the battle menu. The graphic upgrade from VII to VIII is AMAZING. The polygons and real life like characters models were very impressive on the PSX. The FMVs and Soundtrack is also some of the best in the series. The story spanned four CD-Roms and got a little heavy and convoluted towards the end, but the ending was great. The characters were all interesting and the story keep me engaged. Definitely one of the most under appreciated games of the series, mostly because it wanted to do things a little differently.
3.
- It's extremely difficult for me to rank the top 3 Final Fantasy games. On any given day I can rearrange these and change my mind of the greatest. FFIX is definitely one of my most favorite video games of all time. This game is easily the most polarizing game of the entire series. People either love it like I do, or hate it with a passion. What I liked most about this game are the characters. I can't think of another game where I liked the characters more. The story and setting are also great and after the Sci-Fi VII and VIII this game gives a nice throwback to the series' roots. Everything about this game is so memorable. The only thing I despise about this game is how SLOW and LONG it takes to get in and out of battles. It literally takes longer than 5 seconds for a battle to even START. Coupled with the fact that the battle system just moves slowly on it's fastest setting... and the battles in this game can really drag and ruin the experience when you're ready to come to a stop. But all is forgivable... did I mention this game has the BEST ending in the entire series?
2.
- The best kept secret in video game RPGs is Final Fantasy VI. While most people jumped into the series playing the PlayStation versions, those who experienced this game in all it's greatness back on the Super Nintendo knew what the series was all about. The gameplay is fast and fun. Every character has their own distinct abilities and truly unique personalties. The story starts off small and concentrated, and then turns into a truly epic quest of saving the world, after it's already been destroyed. This game even played today can be enjoyed by it's beautiful soundtrack, great characters, and easily accessible gameplay. This game is a debatable #1 on any list, and for good reason. The game doesn't attempt to swamp you down with too much story, and back story, and side story, but rather it gives you a clear quest that will keep you engaged until it's end. Oh, and Kefka is awesome.
1.
- While this game isn't as polarizing as IX, it's definitely one of the most debated. Old school gamers say it's overrated, while newcomers like to claim it as one of the best games ever made. I would probably lean more to the latter. My claim that this game is at the top of video gaming history starts with this, look at the first six Final Fantasy titles... then look at this one. The complexity of the story and the characters are head and shoulders above any other game released before it's time. And the graphics, you can't possibly mention this game without mentioning the fact that it was the first 3D title in the series. While I'm not a big "Look at the shiny graphics" type of guy, I will admit this: This game is enhanced thanks in large part to how detailed the pre-rendered background were (the character models left a lot to be desired, obviously. I mean they had no faces, just eyes!). Playing the game today, while the graphics show their age in light of the newer consoles, it is still amazing when you think about how the entire series changed from VI to VII by one console generation. The gameplay itself was not the most innovative of the entire series, but it did feature a HUGE amount of sidequests and minigames. But the thing I love most about this series is the storyline, and how in-depth it is providing you almost too much details in the world of Final Fantasy VII. It's also worth mentioning the game's new almost present-day modern setting. The epic final show-down against one of the most evilest villains in Final Fantasy history, and it's unforgettable ending... I can't imagine this game being any worse than #2 on anyone's list of Final Fantasy games.
... Well here's my unofficial ranking of the series. A couple of notes: I am a STORY and CHARACTERS type of guy. That's really the main component I used in ranking the games. I recently changed my rankings around a bit to reflect this (IV is now ranked higher than V and VII higher than VI). Next would come Game play and innovation. So without further ado here are my VERY subjective rankings.
12.
11.
10.
9.
8.
7.
6.
5.
4.
3.
2.
1.