That tripped me up for a second as well. He's got IX marked as VIIII (V with four I's).

Anyway,

I voted XII as well, mostly because I've gotten the furthest in it.

I probably talk more in Final Fantasy threads than I should because I've tried a lot of them, but never got past the ten hour mark of any of them. I found I really grindy and boring, VI and VII really interesting but kind of old and simplistic at this point (though, again, didn't get very far), IX genuinely funny and charming, X had a good plot setup but delivered it through questionable dialogue and the absolute worst costume design in Final Fantasy so far (a great and terrible achievement), XII very interesting and well thought-out in most terms except for the main character, XIII had great combat but its potentially good story was buried beneath a shit-ton of baggage, and XIV ARR was a very pretty but very slow MMO (I played the beta).

.............You're expecting people to understand that reference? Weird.

(I would've cast my vote for VI if doing so wouldn't support a democratic ideal.)

I go with 6 for sure that game was so mind blowing at the time and still holds up very well.

@video_game_king: At least one person got it. I cal that a win.

Couldn't agree more. Which is why it's a shame they've never done a real successor. Best combat and best story.

I think we get this thread once every couple of months or so, and the objectively correct answer is always VI.

My favorite is ten, but I think objectively, nine is the best game in the series.

When asked the question "What Final Fantasy game do you think has the best and most effective blend of gameplay, story, and graphics, that are smart, fun, and still hold up in a modern way" my answer will always be Final Fantasy X. The graphics are still among the better of the Ps2 games, despite it coming out very early in its life, the story and universe are deep, well thought out, and deceptively macabre, and the battle system, by emphasizing speed, team work, and elemental weaknesses more than it's predecessors, is among the most in-depth and strategic systems the series has to offer, and in my opinion tops them all.

That being said, I can see why most of the games in the series have their defenders and detractors, and there's a compelling argument to be made by the majority of the games in the series, even if some of them are used for the wrong reasons. There's really only a few of the games in the series that I look at and simply cannot possibly see any rational argument in favor of being the best, those being II, VIII, and XIII.

Really, the only infuriating part of these discussions comes from, not others disliking the games of the series I like or dislike, but pure closed-mindedness ala "Oh I just hate FF7, you know, all those dumb fanboys" or "I can't really enjoy any of the non-2D FF games, when it became 3D it just lost so much creativity you know." (Imagine these sentences being spoken with a really annoying, nasally accent.)

yo get your shitty MMO combat out of my not-MMO

*throws down*

seriously though, I liked most of the characters in FFX (outside of wakka, fuck that guy), while the only character I really liked in FFXII was Balthier

also, SPHERE GRID 4 LYFE

yuna was a follower of the highest order (even after she 'evolved' into not being one), tidus was colossally stupid, kimarhi was barely part of the story, Lulu was just a dour voice of reason and Riku was like 12 years old.

Ashe and Basch were great don't even go there!

Which game is objectively the best? Probably VI, although I haven't played enough of all of them to be a great judge of that. But IX is by far my favourite.

I mean I know he gets a lot of shit for talking like an idiot, but I think Wakka is pretty interesting. A character who was raised by a corrupt religion, suffering the loss of his brother for his failure to abide by it, which only reinforces his false faith. Then this character is forced to reconcile his hateful beliefs with what he's actually experiencing, like being forced to watch a race of people have their home exterminated by an organization he has always supported. Or trying to come to terms with his racism when he's forced to travel with someone he's been taught to hate, who actually isn't such a bad person. Then there's Rikku, whose grown up outside of this religion, and has watched countless members of its devoted work their whole lives for the privilege of dying for their faith. Then she has to travel with all of these people who are working towards that goal, even though it goes against everything she's ever been taught, because she cares about her cousin and she wants to be there for her. Most of the characters in that story have some compelling dilemma like that which ties heavily into the story being told.

Comparatively 12 has a terrible cast. I don't even understand why half of them are there. Balthier and Ashe are the only ones with any personality, and even what little personality Ashe has is pretty bad. Considering she's the person with the most invested in the story I think it's kinda sad that the most we can say about her personality wise is that she's a bit of a stoic bitch. Also I don't know what you'd call "more interesting" plot wise, but I certainly wouldn't say that a resistance rebelling an evil empire is the most original or fascinating plot. I'd take dumbness over blandness any day. It is more open though, however I'd argue the combat in FFX is a lot more rewarding.

I say VIII because it was the one that hooked me as a ten-year-old and the first game I encountered in the series, so there's heavy nostalgia there. VII I think is hot garbage, but VI, VIII, IX, and to some degree X are really good.

I'd actually probably most like to revisit IX since the world, characters, and style are really neat. The story (or complete lack of a central plotline) disappointed me back in the day but now I can appreciate the smaller character tales.

Final Fantasy II is the best game in the series.

Ha ha!

...

It was a joke.

i had a really good time with FF8

For me it's gotta be VII.

Man I never really realized there was such a strong case to be made for X.

it is isn't it, even VIV would be less wrong than VIIII.

Final Fantasy XIII (or XIII-2) (Your vote)1%

I am the 1%.

Disclaimer, I have only really played XIII and as such probably shouldn't have participated on this poll. Still apart from the 20 hour tutorial I feel the battle system is good as is the portrayal of the story.

I selected 9 because you used the wrong Roman numeral. 9 is IX.

I meant to select FF8.

You still haven't addressed how FF12's most notable feature is that you don't actually play it.

Nine, or IIIIIIIII in numerals.

Though 8 had the best ost.

that's my favorite part!

It's the chillest JRPG ever made.

My theory is that Final Fantasy works the same way as Mario Kart, the first one you play will always be your favorite, in my case it's 9.

I always hated selecting the same thing from a menu every time I get in a fight with trash mobs in RPGs. Being able to automate the straight forward part of the strategy made it feel efficient.

It's a versatile system too. There is a boss whose base attack can 1 hit kill a level 99 character and has 10 million HP. I set up my automation properly and was able to kill him in 5 minutes without selecting anything. It took maybe 3 or 4 party wipes to figure out the right set up but designing a battle plan like that is very rewarding.

I love how just about every defense of this game's combat system begins by admitting just how unfun it is to play.

It makes the unfun part of the previous games (grinding) more efficient.

Like work.

VI obviously.

I know alot of people like final fantasy VII but the second half of the game is kinda shitty. I voted for nine myself.

to be fair people seem to hate the games that remove levels and grinding in favor of other systems ie (ffVIII)

YEAH 6 WAY TO GO YOU GUYS HANDSHAKES ALL AROUND I'VE NEVER BEEN PROUDER

I picked X(X-2) because of the combat systems in both.
Also Auron.

If I based it on story that held up well then, I don't know, I would probably have to go with Final Fantasy XII.
But that's cheating because, well, it's just Star Wars... again.

I could write that story as well and just change the setting and characters.
Watch my master talent:

"Instead of a whiney character named Luke we shall call him.. Vaan"
See!
"Han Solo and Chewie.. Smugglers... Pirates are smugglers. Sky Pirates... Balthier and Fran!"

And so on.

Or he's just trying to get at the part where FFXII's gameplay comes in the managing skills and stats of a party bit (y'know, the numbers part of the RPG) instead of picking a certain skill for the umpteen billionth time?

Final Fantasy VII.

both of the spaces that where intentionally left blank have more votes than ff1 and ff2.

I really like the open world structure and combat system of FF12 but I think that that license grid system was kind of boring and not very fun.

FF8 on the other hand I think is tons of fun because of the dumb stuff you can do with the junction system.

Honestly I think six gets a lot more credit then it rightly deserves. Coming from the perspective of someone who experienced/played through IV, V, VI, VII and IX only a few years back I think the only one it really outshines is V, post great disaster it just gets kind of dull. I also don't really understand the affection for what feels to me like a very basic mustache twirler.

But enough of me hating the things you like. My personal favorite is probably IV or IX. IX for the fascinating story/world and IV for the combat and its weird charm (e.g. the spoony bard scene).

VII.

I will also accept VI, XII and IV.

I will fight to the death any other answer.

VI, IV, or IX are the only correct answers.