Current Events > Where to begin with Final Fantasy? The very first one?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Ivany2008 posted...

People should play Terranigma because its arguably the best action rpg on the system bar none.

Scar, then FF isn't for you. FF is all about story, and while 1,4 and 5 might not be as strong as 6, they can still very well hold up on their own fine. Hell, 4 and 6 are arguably better than the 3d ones in terms of story.

I grew up on FF games, they're definitely for me. That doesn't mean I can't recognize when the story is bad. And again, this is my opinion, but the stories of 1-5 are pretty bad. 4 features a very much fleshed out story with a bigger character gallery, etc. I recognize that. But that just means that the plot takes more space, and the gameplay isn't good enough to carry that IMO. The idea that 4 would be a better story than later games is laughable to me, and I think several FF stories are pretty bad.

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electricbugs2 posted...

Uh...Terranigma is an excellent game, but saying it's the best ARPG on the system with the best RPG's ever, period, is a huge stretch.

The only other contenders are Secret of Mana and Seiken Dentetsu 3, neither of which I happen to be a fan of, but again, personal taste. Not enough people played Terranigma when it was released and its hard to know if it would have gotten as popular at FF6 due to Nintendo already moving on to the N64, and Sony releasing the Playstation.

As for Scars reply, the only games that even make the case against 4 or 6 are 7, 9 and 10. 12 through 15 single player games were a complete disaster storywise. 8 could have been a contender, but as I said before, after a certain part in the game the story turns to garbage.

Ivany2008 posted...

As for Scars reply, the only games that even make the case against 4 or 6 are 7, 9 and 10. 12 through 15 single player games were a complete disaster storywise. 8 could have been a contender, but as I said before, after a certain part in the game the story turns to garbage.

Admittedly I gave up on the series at 12. So more specifically, FFs 1-10 are for me ;)
I agree that 8 is a disaster, wholeheartedly. It's just that I think 4 is, too. It's just absurd.
Also agree with you on Terranigma. That's a very solid game.

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Yeah.... Japan got all the fun stuff.... lol. I recently got a copy of Alundra 2 that I've been meaning to play, but I still have to get through Suikoden 1, which I'm finding really hard to start up, as its start is really slow paced.

And to each their own. I happen to love 4 and go back to it every couple years for a full playthrough.

Don't get me wrong I love the Quintet trilogy, but I could list off about 5 ARPG's immediately that I would play over Terranigma. It's an amazing game, but it's as popular as it is because of the story.

Chaos Seed
EVO: Search for Eden
Front Mission Gun Hazard (THIS is the best ARPG on the system, sorry not sorry)
Shadowrun
Tales of Phantasia (This is a turn based/ARPG hybrid but I digress)

I could go on with a few others, but yeah.

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Conflict posted...

SoM isn't even a contender

I'd say Soul Blazer and Illusion of Gaia are contenders. Also Secret of Evermore definitely had better gameplay than SoM. There's probably other really good ARPGs that were Japan only

I own every single RPG (and many other games) for the Super Famicom. There really aren't any other really good ARPGs. I mean Star Ocean and Tales of Phantasia maybe. Not sure if I would call those really good. What it does have is a lot of really good RPGs that aren't action.

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electricbugs2 posted...

Front Mission Gun Hazard

Oh if that counts as an RPG then yeah it's the best action RPG on the system.

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ssjevot posted...

I own every single RPG (and many other games) for the Super Famicom. There really aren't any other really good ARPGs. I mean Star Ocean and Tales of Phantasia maybe. Not sure if I would call those really good. What it does have is a lot of really good RPGs that aren't action.

Tales of Phantasia isn't really amazing for the Super Famicom. I'd argue the port to handhelds was far better handled.

Ivany2008 posted...

Tales of Phantasia isn't really amazing for the Super Famicom. I'd argue the port to handhelds was far better handled.

narikiri dungeon x is a top tier tales game. a lot of the unlocalized tales games, like rebirth and destiny dc, are also great games but since they're jp only most cazuls never played them

ssjevot posted...

Oh if that counts as an RPG then yeah it's the best action RPG on the system.

Just one of the most hardass games I've ever played. Shout out to SNESDrunk on YT for showing me this, aside from Final Fantasy V and Chrono Trigger, I think it's one of the best RPG's on the system period. It's a damn shame more people don't know about it.

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Ivany2008 posted...

Tales of Phantasia isn't really amazing for the Super Famicom. I'd argue the port to handhelds was far better handled.

Lol which one? I have two seperate ports on the PSP alone. But yeah it has better versions in ports.

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I owned the GBA port myself, which was pretty solid.

Ivany2008 posted...

I owned the GBA port myself, which was pretty solid.

bruh the gba version is like the worst version of phantasia

Conflict posted...

It's not just the story that makes Terranigma great. It's the soundtrack, the environments, the charm, and the sidequests. The town development makes it very ambitious for an SNES RPG. The biggest flaw the game actually has is its final boss.

I think Lufia 2 also attempted town development, though I may be wrong.

Conflict posted...

It's not just the story that makes Terranigma great. It's the soundtrack, the environments, the charm, and the sidequests. The town development makes it very ambitious for an SNES RPG. The biggest flaw the game actually has is its final boss.

Oh don't get me wrong I love the game, played the shit out of it and it's older sisters in college. But I think saying it's objectively the best ARPG on the SNES is a bit much.

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Ivany2008 posted...

I think Lufia 2 also attempted town development, though I may be wrong.

A surprisingly large amount of SNES games had some good town development features.

Actraiser, the Quintet games, Chaos Seed, Breath of Fire

Fuck there's just too many banger games on SNES.

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SNES in general had very few actual bad games. Most of the bad games were the religion games. Even the educational games I could sit down and play for a couple hours.

Ivany2008 posted...

SNES in general had very few actual bad games. Most of the bad games were the religion games. Even the educational games I could sit down and play for a couple hours.

Religion games? Are you thinking of the bible games for NES?

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Ugh, don't start with 1. It's terrible. Might need to try the PSP version though.

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electricbugs2 posted...

Religion games? Are you thinking of the bible games for NES?

Yep, stuff like Super Noahs Ark.

Ivany2008 posted...

Yep, stuff like Super Noahs Ark.

Honestly, Super Noahs Ark isn't even that bad. It's just a Doom clone. It even got a re release with achievements on Steam.

There's way worse games for SNES. Wizard of Oz, Terminator 2, Batman Forever, and Pit Fighter are way more atrocious. And that's just the really awful one's.

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I'd start with Tactics, which I'd the best one and also completely different from the others.

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Reis posted...

uh dont forget the awful quality of the soundtrack

also the psp version has extra superbosses in each

GBA has the bonus dungeons and bosses too.

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Thighon posted...

Is it an overarching plot?

how do people still ask this

Start with either 6 or 7 imo.


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electricbugs2 posted...

Honestly, Super Noahs Ark isn't even that bad. It's just a Doom clone. It even got a re release with achievements on Steam.

There's way worse games for SNES. Wizard of Oz, Terminator 2, Batman Forever, and Pit Fighter are way more atrocious. And that's just the really awful one's.

Doom clone? It's obviously a Wolfenstein 3D clone.

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jumi posted...

GBA has the bonus dungeons and bosses too.

ok? the psp version still has exclusive dungeons and bosses in the form of the labyrinth of time/chronodia and arcane labyrinth/deumion respectively

neither of which are present in dawn of souls

As others have probably said, there's absolutely no need to play them in any order. The only consistency themes are some recurring basic themes and monsters that can be explained in about 2 sentences: there are some big bird-type mounts called chocobos, sometimes you summon creatures out of thin air and literally everyone has a weird outfit. The plots tend to be pretty stupid too.

I'll go even further to say that unless you have a particular nostalgia for that era you're not going to get much out of going back to a 20 year old game (or older) to try and enjoy it. They didn't age well.

So just play the one you like the look of.

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Little late now, but i would start with the first one. Its bare bones by todays standard but thats its strength, particularly for a newcomer. Get the basics down, and have a fun romp.

Go with the PSP version preferably or original NES

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SpaceBear_ posted...

Ugh, don't start with 1. It's terrible.

I doubt they will continue the series if they start with 1 tbh. It's just not a good game to get introduced to Final Fantasy.

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IMO, 4, 6, and 7 are the best starting points for Final Fantasy >_>

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jumi posted...

Here are the definitive versions:

FF1: PSP
FF2: PSP
FF3: DS
FF4: PSP
FF5: GBA
FF6: GBA
FF7, FF8, FF9: Any modern system. They're available on PS1, PS2, PSP, PS4, Xbox One, and Switch. I can't remember if they're on PS3 or Xbox 360.
FFX, FFX-2: PS4 or Xbox One.
FF11: PC
FF12: PS4, Xbox One, or Switch.
FF13: PS3 or Xbox 360
FF14: PC
FF15: PS4 or Xbox One
FF Tactics: PSP

1 & 2 on the GBA are the same as on the PSP, just the graphics aren't as good.

You should change FF3 to PSP, in the PSP version you can get one of the hidden things in a sidequest while the DS version requires one to use the messaging system.

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Seitar posted...

You should change FF3 to PSP, in the PSP version you can get one of the hidden things in a sidequest while the DS version requires one to use the messaging system.

I thought FF3 was only released on DS in NA.

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I've played 2,7,9,10,13. 7 is the best one by far.

jumi posted...

I thought FF3 was only released on DS in NA.

It's definitely on Steam in the US. It's definitely on PSP in Japan. That they wouldn't release it the US seems weird because even the Ouya version got released in the US.

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ssjevot posted...

It's definitely on Steam in the US. It's definitely on PSP in Japan. That they wouldn't release it the US seems weird because even the Ouya version got released in the US.

its on psp in the us as well

There's no way I'm getting into FF. It's way too big of a timesink. I'm settling on just BD and Octopath.
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GiftedACIII posted...

There's no way I'm getting into FF. It's way too big of a timesink. I'm settling on just BD and Octopath.

its really not, most of the games can be completed in 30 hours or less if you arent a complete scrub at jrpgs

like when i played ffx hd two months ago on steam i beat the story in like 20 hours and i was fucking around a lot too

for 13 which i did last month it was somewhere around 30

I pretty much properly started with FF1 psp and FF9 around the same time and enjoyed both. It'll vary between players though. Hopefully you end up liking the games!

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smoke_break posted...

I would start with Final Fantasy 10. Easy and accessible.

Probably the first 3d FF to actually challenge me. Couldn't just bulldoze my way through all battles some required actual strategies or specific equipment or you where in for a rough ride. Remember being stuck on one boss awhile until my brain finally clicked to get 3 bracers that made you immune to a particular status

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Illuminoius posted...

how do people still ask this

I mean how would I know if I've never so much as seen a cutscene

also god damn this topic exploded