Final Fantasy
The Sly Fox
USAPosts: 467MI6 Agent
This topic is about what is in my opinion, the greatest game franchise ever to grace our television screens. Started back in 1987 with the near-bankrupt Squaresoft, this gaming company created a game that was supposed to be their last hurrah: The Final Fantasy. Obviously, this game was not destined to be their final game at all, as it spawned an entire franchise that spans over a dozen games with several spin-offs.
I actually find it quite difficult to decide on a favorite--as with the Bond films, they all have things that make them special. What truly makes these games stand out in my opinion however, is their storylines. FF7 was one of the best sci-fi stories I've ever heard--film, print, game, you name it. FF8 and FF9 had about the most beautiful love stories I've ever seen as well.
These games definitely aren't short on visuals--FF7 revolutionized full-motion videos in games and is considered by many to be the mother of all cinematic games today. FF10, which included voice acting, would have in my opinion, done equally well had it been a film or TV series!
I'm setting up this topic as a tribute to Final Fantasy. If anyone has ever played these games or seen the couple of films that were made, feel free to comment. And cheers to all FF fans, for you're definitely not alone! {[]
I actually find it quite difficult to decide on a favorite--as with the Bond films, they all have things that make them special. What truly makes these games stand out in my opinion however, is their storylines. FF7 was one of the best sci-fi stories I've ever heard--film, print, game, you name it. FF8 and FF9 had about the most beautiful love stories I've ever seen as well.
These games definitely aren't short on visuals--FF7 revolutionized full-motion videos in games and is considered by many to be the mother of all cinematic games today. FF10, which included voice acting, would have in my opinion, done equally well had it been a film or TV series!
I'm setting up this topic as a tribute to Final Fantasy. If anyone has ever played these games or seen the couple of films that were made, feel free to comment. And cheers to all FF fans, for you're definitely not alone! {[]
Comments
What did you think of FF12? I have a PS3 now and have been trying out the occasional PS2 game here and there. From what I saw, FF12 seemed to have less FMV than previous games which, from my perspective, is a good thing.
FF12 is actually the game I'm currently playing. It's really a great game, although I admit it seems to lack some of the things FF is known for--or at least the things I know it for. If you like the premise of hack-and-slash style fighting mixed in with the timing and strategy of turn-based systems, then you'll love this game. However if you're a fan of the classic turn-based system, this may be a turnoff. Personally, I loved FF10's battle system: "Conditional Turn-Based," a sort of retro style turn-based system where time stands still until you make your move, with the twist that you can switch out your characters at any time. it was one of the few RPGs I have played that I actually enjoyed endless leveling up of characters.
As for FF12, they seem to have gone in a new direction. This may have something to do with the Square Enix merger (which I never really was fond of, since Enix's games have always seemed more "Dungeons and Dragons" style, IMO). Although the new direction may be for a new generation of players. Personally, I have played some of the original FF games (I've played FF1, FF4 and FF6), and the old formula always worked for me. Some have said that the old formula is now outdated and needs revamping...
That said, it really is a fantastic game, as are all the FFs. It does seem to have been made for a new audience that likes their systems pushed to the limit--i.e., less pre-rendered video, more processor work; battles being more active and heat-of-the-moment and less like a chess game. You seem to be a more modern player, so you probably would really like this game.
By the way, you really should pick up FF7! It truly is a masterpiece of gaming. I think this is one of the quintessential games that made history, one of those games that all gamers should play at least once.
One more note... If you can muster any love for FMVs, get FF10, if not just for this...
http://podezing.free.fr/kaolla/wallpapers/yuna.jpg
She's just gorgeous... :x
I think one of the reasons that I've never explored the FF games is that the art style just isn't my thing anymore. It's a little too fanciful and the characters are a bit too flamboyant for my tastes if you know what I mean. Maybe it has to do with my age (I'm 42) but these days I tend to gravitate towards games with older, more "conservative" characters; I can just relate to them and their situations better. I think that was one of the reasons Oblivion resonated with me; the characters I interacted with were older and more mature and I just felt more at home in that environment. KOTOR was like that too and Mass Effect seems to follow that paradigm as well. And I have to admit to preferring a western art style more than the Japanese variety these days.
I may yet give one of the FF games a try at some point; I believe there is one in development for the PS3. But everytime I see pictures like the one you linked I just get the vibe that I'm a generation too late to enjoy a game like that.
Admittedly, I prefer fantasy to true realism. Personally, I love fantasy art--the more out there, the better, IMHO.
As far as FMVs go, I believe they were on such a track back in '91 when they came out with FF4. The cutscenes were understandably limited in graphics, but the story was great. A more medieval story with knights and whatnot. The characters were definitely more mature in age than they are in such games today--a story about an older, troubled man with a troubled past. But trends in games change with the seasons, after all.
One thing I noticed was that all the games you mentioned are for PC! I haven't tried many PC RPGs, in fact I've been using my PS2 for most all of my gaming lately. For most of the new PC games, I would probably have to upgrade my computer--I always end up getting "Pixel Shader 2.0" errors... 8-)
I haven't played a PC game of any kind in years; I always found the experience to be compromised because I didn't have enough RAM, the latest video cards or drivers.
FF8 was very good too, really enjoyed that. But 7 IMO is by far the best.
The only other one I've ever played is FF9, which is ok, but not as good as 8 (or 7 obviously).
FF7 is among my 4 favourite media-related things in the world ever, along with Bond, U2 (the band), and Red Dwarf!
BTW, this thread probably belongs in the off-topic forum, as it's not Bond-related.
1 - Moore, 2 - Dalton, 3 - Craig, 4 - Connery, 5 - Brosnan, 6 - Lazenby
FF9 is my favorite not because it was my first (an obvious bias I have with things), but also because it had a great atmosphere of the medieval days with old fashioned weapons and characters with different abilities. I loved the chocobo sidequest, but hate the card game. The card game in 8 is much better. The music is fantastic throughout the series, but I loved 9's the most.
6 is my next favorite because of its music, loads of characters, and classic feel. 8 and 7 were great as well, but got too heavy with high-tech stuff and characters with similar abilities. 10 is good, but almost too far removed from the old tradition.
I agree that the traditional ways of FF should come back. I am reluctant to play new ones because of that I will probably play more of the 2-D ones first. The ATB can't be beat and you gotta have a world map.
Here's to hoping that Square-Enix comes up with new, yet also traditional FF games in the future!
It's great to see there are other FF fans on this site! {[]