Felt Nostalgic - Played Final Fantasy VI (III back then) last night (1 Viewer)

[Saint_Ward]

Ok, this game is 19 years old, so I'm not worrying about spoilers, but if you for some reason never played it and want to, do it, and don't read this.






After watching some random video game reviews on you tube I stumbled upon a recent review of FF6 (or FF3 for the SNES OG's out there). The guy hit on everything about why this was probably the greatest RPG of all time. And basically summed up all of my feelings on this game and how he characterized some characters.

Great characters. Great story. Best villain ever. And the Villain actually won for a while. Kefka burned the world to a crisp and almost killed everyone. Then you re-gather the old troops, and go fight a god to not save the world, but allow it to rebuild. Kefka is Final Fantay's Joker.

Great music too, for all of its 16 bit glory. Probably the catchiest character themes ever created.

So, I started playing the PS1 version (Anthology) last night again. I never played it on my PS3, so I'm starting from the beginning. I just got to Figaro Castle, so not very far into the game. I even got my GF to watch some of it. She was making fun of me at first, but I think she's digging it now.

This always ignites the debate about what was/is the best RPG ever. Final Fantasy 6 (3), Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 7, the first Dragon Age, or Phantasy Star IV (one of the 3 games I even had a Genesis for). Maybe there are some more modern ones on the list now, but those classics always end up in the argument.

So, what are your favorites? No poll for now.

 

[soggymoss]

I've yet to see a game close to ff7 as being the best rpg.

 

[Saint_Ward]

I've yet to see a game close to ff7 as being the best rpg.

Did you ever play FF6? I mean, you'd have been 11 when it came out.

Part of me wonders, if the fact I was 14 has more to do with me loving that game. I think that's the age certain things stick.

At first I didn't like FF7. Then it really grew on me. I really dug Midgar and Cloud's character; what you knew and what you didn't. The language was also rougher. Just like growing up. FF6 will always be more kiddy, because it was on Nintendo.

 

[soggymoss]

No I've never played 6. Actually just bought it before coming offshore. I have played 7 a few times and also 8 and 9.

 

[mt black and gold]

6 and 7 are both great. i think xenogears and earthbound are both great rpg's as well.

 

[Saint_Ward]

6 and 7 are both great. i think xenogears and earthbound are both great rpg's as well.

Xenogears was great. The last bit was a bit too cinematic though. I didn't like what they did with xenosaga...

Secret of mana was my first love though.

 

[SaintStephen]

Xenogears was great. The last bit was a bit too cinematic though. I didn't like what they did with xenosaga...

Secret of mana was my first love though.

Yeah. The 2nd disc did plod along, but the 1st was pure Judeo-Christian inspired greatness! I've played through XG 4x's. It can get slow, but the story, music, and combat all hold up so well. Still my favorite Square JRPG I think. FFIV and X a close 2nd...Secret of Mana was excellent also.....and Chrono Trigger..Chrono Cross was surprisingly good as well. I just recently got it on ps3 store and it holds up decent. Playing Tales of Vesperia on my 3DS right now. Makes me miss old-school JRPGs. Must say the main character is hilarious in this one

 

[Saint_Ward]

Yeah. The 2nd disc did plod along, but the 1st was pure Judeo-Christian inspired greatness! I've played through XG 4x's. It can get slow, but the story, music, and combat all hold up so well. Still my favorite Square JRPG I think. FFIV and X a close 2nd...Secret of Mana was excellent also.....and Chrono Trigger..Chrono Cross was surprisingly good as well. I just recently got it on ps3 store and it holds up decent. Playing Tales of Vesperia on my 3DS right now. Makes me miss old-school JRPGs. Must say the main character is hilarious in this one

I just got Tales of Vesperia for my gf's kid for Xbox 360. So, you're liking it on 3DS?

Yeah, the mid to late 90's sure was a golden age of RPG's.

I think some gems have made it through the last 10 years as well. I really love most of the bioware titles. I really liked the KOTOR games and Mass Effect and Dragon Age.

I'm loving the FF series less and less lately. FFX was the last good one, in my mind. FFXII was ok, but I never did finish it.

 

[buzd]

Lunar: Silver Star.

 

[Saint_Ward]

Lunar: Silver Star.

I see what you did there.

Yeah, I ended up getting the PS1 remake of that one. I enjoyed it. I still think Phantasy Star IV was a better game from SEGA.

 

[Benimaru]

Ever since I played FF3/6j it's been my favorite RPG and quite possibly game of all-time. Shadow is my favorite character in the game (Clyde, lawl).

And just for the record, Sephiroth wears Kefka pajamas.

Kefka poisoned children for chrissakes.

 

[Sun Wukong]

I just got Tales of Vesperia for my gf's kid for Xbox 360. So, you're liking it on 3DS?

Yeah, the mid to late 90's sure was a golden age of RPG's.

I think some gems have made it through the last 10 years as well. I really love most of the bioware titles. I really liked the KOTOR games and Mass Effect and Dragon Age.

I'm loving the FF series less and less lately. FFX was the last good one, in my mind. FFXII was ok, but I never did finish it.

One of the problems with the FF series is that it went from one of the most protected IP's in all of gaming (no direct sequels, each game is its own self contained story in its own self contained universe, and you'd get no more than three games per console generation with only the odd spinoff along the way) to being cashed in on in every way possible (crappy casual games, direct sequels out the wazoo, spinoffs galore, two MMORPGs (really three, if you count the failed launch of XIV and them basically rebuilding it from the ground up for a relaunch), etc.) It's so diluted that it no longer feels like an important franchise. And it doesn't help that the general quality of the characters, design, and storylines has gone into the crapper. Final Fantasy XIII was a terrible game in just about every way.

You can point to really two major points in which the series saw major declines: The first Hironobu Sakaguchi being forced out of Squaresoft (he had been the major driving force behind the series since its inception) after the financial failure of the ill-conceived Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within film. After that, the series lost the guy who had basically created it and was handed over to "I like shiny things and belts and zippers" character designer Tetusya Nomura. The second was the merger between Squaresoft and Enix. Those two things pretty much sent the franchise on a downward spiral it has yet to pull out of.

But hey, Squenix just kicked their CEO to the curb this week and announced major restructuring, so maybe things will get better.

 

[bgizle]

I totally agree with everyone on this thread. Final Fantasy used to be my favorite franchise, but I've never played one on the current consoles because I hear so many negative things about them. And yes US FF 2 and 3 were amazing. I agree with the OP that 3 was amazing but I put 2 right up there near it, though 3 clearly edges it out. Chrono Trigger was also awesome.

Other than those 2 games I personally would put the Mass Effect series as an honorable mention. The game broke many boundaries, which is hard to do nowadays. Also the fact that the universe it built and the story are all totally immersible

And FF 7 was awesome as well, though I personally don't think it's as good as FF 3.

 

[kcirdor]

6 is the best. I can't tell you how many times, I've rented that game and had to return it to Movie Land before I could beat it. I've stayed up entire weekends straight playing that game. Every time I'd go to get it the next week end someone erased my game! So I've played the story close to 10 times before I could actually own it and beat it.

7 is great. With 7 I had a similar experience of having my game erased or memory card corrupt a couple times.

Every time, I compare the experience of playing the two 6 wins out.

II on SNES (actually 4) is also great. The Moon would always creep me out when i was young.

Old 8 and 16 bit Final Fantasy music is some of the best video game music. The opera in 6 was pretty sweet as well.

Look out! Ultros!

 

[ULL_Scott]

It's sad when I play the more recent installments in the franchise. Everything past FF9 has ranged from jus a big old bucket of OK to outright blah in terms of holding my interest. Tales of Vasperia was the last RPG that I enjoyed. And I don't think I saw anyone mentioned installments from the Star Ocean franchise which I have enjoyed, primarily The Second Story and Till the End of Time.

Anyone play Ni No Kuni?