LogFAQs > #973671995

Alright guyz, now that I've given FF5 time to digest, I feel like I've got a whole new perspective on the series, so I moved some stuff around:

UPDATED RANKING

7.FF5 - 8.6 --> 9.0 (anything less than a 9 seems criminal)
8.FF14 HW - 9.0(it was hard to choose this or ff5 - HW has the story while ff5 has the gameplay - but i always gotta go with gameplay)
9.FF8 - 8.7 --> 8.8 (ff5's customization makes me appreciate the junction system more, and the remaster's draw speed moves it up)
10.FFX-2 - 8.5 (im happy this is top 10 now)
11.FF12 - 8.5
12.FF14 ARR - 8.5 --> 8.4 (combat didnt really get good until HW; "the floor is lava" isnt exactly engaging combat)
13.FF11 - 8.4
14.FF1 - 8.3
15.FF7 R - 8.4 -> 8.3 (i just really dont like the combat in this game. putting it below ff1 is the ultimate salt LOL)
16.FF15 - 8.0
17.DoC FF7 - 6.0
18.FF2 - 3.5 --> 5.0 (okay, it wasnt THAT bad)
19.FF13 - 3.0

And finally,

#6. Final Fantasy IX

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/0/8/AAK53VAAEgVQ.jpg

I think this was the first time I was ever Day 1 for a game. Before I had just kinda accidentally happened upon FF7, FF8, and FFT, but by the time FF9 was coming out... I was ready. I was like "mom, the new Final Fantasy game is coming out. We HAVE to go to Toys R Us TODAY and get it for $50. There's no choice."

So yeah, I played through this when I was a kid, and I played through the remaster not long ago with my wife (we played it on Steam because unfortunately they did a crap job upscaling the pre-rendered backgrounds, but thankfully there's a mod that lets you do it)

But man what an awesome experience this was back in 2000. I just remember thinking how visually amazing everything looked right off the bat. The graphics were some of the best on Ps1, and the new cutesy aesthetic elevated it even further.

I honestly believe the first half of this game is 10/10. The characters are all instantly loveable and believable right out the gate. Garnet taking control of the airship, and taking her destiny into her own hands - just perfection. It's just got this incredibly strong, character-driven plot.

But then it just kinda becomes a grindy dungeon slog in the second half? By the time we find out Zidane is a clone, my brain just checks out. My theory is because Ps2 and FFX were coming out, Square forced the team to wrap that shit up and go. Even Kuja got rushed imo - after the fight, Zidane is like "you guys go ahead, I'm gonna go save Kuja and try to talk to him." Which implies Kuja can be redeemed, which is really interesting, but they don't actually show it, and nothing ever comes from it? Unless there's some secret ending I don't know about.

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/0/1/0/AAK53VAAEgVS.jpg

But yeah, after the hard left turn Square took with FF8, it really seemed like they wanted FF9 to be a return to form. And that's not a bad thing. FF9's really, really good at being a traditional Final Fantasy game. It didn't try to push the genre forward, but it didn't need to. And it's combat and ability systems may not have been the deepest in the series, but they always felt satisfying and rewarding.

9.3

#6. FF9 - 9.3
#7. FF5 - 9.0
#8. FF14 HW - 9.0
#9. FF8 - 8.8
#10. FFX-2 - 8.5
#11. FF12 - 8.5
#12. FF14 ARR - 8.4
#13. FF11 - 8.4
#14. FF1 - 8.3
#15. FF7 R - 8.3
#16. FF15 - 8.0
#17. DoC FF7 - 6.0
#18. FF2 - 5.0
#19. FF13 - 3.0