I could never get into the final fantasy games, too much over the top sprinkle magic, my god every time someone lays down an attack it's like an epic event that should destroy the entire planet! I could just see one of the male characters at the urinal, they probably would lay waste to the restroom just taking a piss. Then these sprinkle magic developers got their fingers on Dungeon Siege III and pretty much destroyed all hope of it ever being a good game. It's the power puff action in FF that makes me long for dark more realistic action in Diablo III.
Besides if it was the final fantasy why are there so many? That's not very final of them.
- FF1 for NES, I can't recall how many hours I spent on it. I must of played every single class combination possible... even beat it with solo white mage.
- FF4, unfortunately I only got to play the watered down american version that is FF2 on SNES, but it was still so good for its time.
- FF6 (FF3 US version) on SNES. Sabin's Blitz skill was an awesome mechanic and Kefka's laugh was simply EPIC!
Besides if it was the final fantasy why are there so many? That's not very final of them.
It was Square's last ditch attempt to save the company. Apparently, they were going down the shitter and were about to die, so they released this game before going under. The Japanese market absolutely loved it, and so they released it in America, and it kept the company from going under.
It was supposed to be their final game, hence Final Fantasy.
C'mon guys, how has no one mentioned Donkey Kong yet. That my good sirs, is timeless! Gameboy, Supernintendo and Nintendo 64 all epic kong games! Also Golden eye in my opinion set a very high bench mark for console first person shooters which was well backed up by perfect dark (Fu darksim!).
Zelda OoT +1. There is few things in life more rewarding than jumping over the fence in the ranch into the wide open plains on your trusty steed.
I loved final fantasy 7 but I was way to young to be any good at it. I use to just sit around for hours and watching my bro play it.
In recent times the only story of a game I've really been engaged in is the Haris Jones quest line in WoW Cataclysm.
Gaming is a way of life. And I think it's only that way because of certain games out there that define our experience. Whenever someone goes to the movies, they don't just plan on having a good time - they plan on getting away from their world and entering a new one filled with things that simply can't happen here on plain ol' earth. With certain video games this happens, and it happens for many, many hours.
Final Fantasy 7 is one of those games that will live in gaming history as one of the games that lives beyond its time. I'm playing through it right now, and I've never been so involved in the story as I am right now. The little time that I have to play, that time is important to me. I really am concerned for the fate of this little world that (basically) lives inside my head. I don't want to get all Matrixy on you, but what else is there, really? I don't know, maybe I get a little detached from reality.
Anyway, I just wanted to know if any of you experience things like this from games you play, and if so, what games?
I prefer Final Fantasy VIII, it just carries so much more emotional impact. You're so much more connected to the characters.
In FFVII, Cloud just ends up some generic, shitty clone that doesn't even have his own memories. He's probably the LEAST interesting character in the game. It's not a bad game, it's fucking great, just not the classic everyone heralds it to be.
I was never much of a PC gamer, but I did have a few console games that I feel changed my life, or certainly defined my childhood. It wasn't so much that I didn't like PC games, I just didn't own a PC until I was 16 or something. For me it was always NES, SNES, GameBoy, N64. Later I finally broke the habbit with a PS2, but overall it was still a general love for consoles over PC.
Anyway, I remember when Zelda: Ocarina of Time came out.. I wanted that game so bad that I dreamt about it at night. I didn't have any money, and my mom thought it was stupid to spend that kinda gold on a simple game. Then one day we were at the mall, and I headed to the games section as always. To my amazement some moron had labeled the game 50DKR by mistake, which is like 8$ - even though it'd come out less than a month before. Due to Danish marketing law it is illegal to take back an offer once a costumer is acqainted with it, and so my mom bought it for me.
I must've played the game for 24 hours straight. It's the kind of game that's still exciting to play even if you've played though it a million times before. I instantly fell in love with the design, the music and the general atmosphere of the game. It really was something else. You played through it, and you felt like you were experiencing something that only your fellow OoT owners would ever be able to understand - something unique, like a piece of art.
That love still persists, and to this day I still haven't come across anything that gave me quite the same feeling. I found games that I loved aqually, but it was always in sort of a different way.
Take the music for example; Most of my gamer friends would agree that Zelda(in general) has some really nice tunes, but they don't listen to it the way I do. For me, every piece in that game has a story of its own, and I guess that's what makes it so special.
Anyway, this game stands out as the one that defined my pre-teen years. I still plug in the ol' N64 every once in a while just to have a game. I don't really have the time for it like I used to, but it's still a blast from the past whenever I do. Good times.
My next great love conveniently took over where the last one left off. I had a brief transitional phase where all I played was GoldenEye(which was also a great game but nowhere near the two giants of my youth) but that was soon releived what, to this day, I still remember as being one the most defining experiences of my life. The experience was Final Fantasy X. Many argue that this isn't at all a competitor to FF7, but I honestly think it's better. Maybe it's the fact that I played this before I did FF7, who knows. All I know is that this game did to me exactly what was described in the first post - it took me away.
To me, this game had it all: The story was great. It's not the most original story in the world, but then again, originallity doesn't necessarily mean success. 'twas a good story, and I was sucked in from the go. Moreover the game was held together by absolutely stunning visuals, beautiful music and some very lovable characters. As for the visuals, that was some of the most amazing work I had seen at the time. It was able to rival many games for years to come. Then there was the music..
Oh my, the music! I remember whenever I got to a part that had great music, I would just pause the game and have the music running in the background while I sat around listening. It's a shame that this game didn't get the recognition that FF7 did, just for the music alone. Once again, listening to it without playing the game probably leaves you less amazed than it does me, but the soundtrack to this game stands out as the most incredible one for me - maybe even topping Zelda: OoT. Maybe. They really did a tremendous job of combining the striking atmosphere with suiting tunes.
Those of you who played the game will remember the scene at the Al Bed 'Home' where you learn of Yuna's true purpose and Titus following reaction to this. 'twas intense. Well, that's the power of a truly thought through soundtrack for ya.
To finish my endless rambling about music, let me just throw down what, to me, is the heavy weight musical champion of not just this game, but of all games that I've ever played. If you've listened to none of the tracks I've listed above, do yourself a favor and listen to this one at least.
But FFX didn't just have good music, great visuals and an entruiging story. Many games do. It also had hours and hours worth of gameplay, that made the game feel non-linear and alive. I remember I had a saved file where I'd played over 450 hours. That doesn't say a lot of you're a WoW player, but for a console game that is a lot. Whether you spent your time playing blitzball, grinding for ultimate weapons or just killing Dark Aeons for the hell of it, this game offered a lot more than comtemporary titles did, and it wasn't boring for a second.
So there you have it, the two greatest titles as far as I recall. Just talking about them makes me wanna go have a game. Oh well, these were my 2 cents. Sorry for rambling on for an eternity.
Yoho!
Try getting all the triple triad cards and summons in FFVIII. I had a game save going for almost 10 years that ended up erased by an idiot buddy making room for a football season...god I hate sports games.
450 hours is nothing in a game like Fallout or Morrowind, you should check them out if you haven't
I always hated, despised even, the gameplay of FF games. Beyond boring and tedious. Make it action based and still so interesting story wise, and I would have played them more.
Tried to get in a few. Thought FF8 was very interesting but again, gameplay got in the way. Random encounters with appearing enemies and turn based system... all day long... yaaaawn...
FF7, story wise... looked very interesting, and everybody loves it. So I thought lets give it a shot, right? I'm sorry but I can't. I play ugly games alright. But FF7 is beyond ugly. It was done in that one era of absolutely disgusting 3D that looks worse than Pong, Doom, and any half-3D games I've seen. It truly is the ugliest game I have ever seen, and one of the only game I can actually say: I can't play it, because its too damn ugly!
I'm saying that because people find that FF7 "aged well", but no 3D game looks as bad as it does. I never thought I'd push a game away purely because of its graphic before I played it again.
I always hated, despised even, the gameplay of FF games. Beyond boring and tedious. Make it action based and still so interesting story wise, and I would have played them more.
Tried to get in a few. Thought FF8 was very interesting but again, gameplay got in the way. Random encounters with appearing enemies and turn based system... all day long... yaaaawn...
FF7, story wise... looked very interesting, and everybody loves it. So I thought lets give it a shot, right? I'm sorry but I can't. I play ugly games alright. But FF7 is beyond ugly. It was done in that one era of absolutely disgusting 3D that looks worse than Pong, Doom, and any half-3D games I've seen. It truly is the ugliest game I have ever seen, and one of the only game I can actually say: I can't play it, because its too damn ugly!
I'm saying that because people find that FF7 "aged well", but no 3D game looks as bad as it does. I never thought I'd push a game away purely because of its graphic before I played it again.
Why do you ever post. Every time I read one of your comments they are negative. There are millions and millions and millions and millions of people who will disagree with you on everything you just said. For the time when FF7 came out it was one of the best looking games. You saying Doom looked better than FF7 is complete BS, obviously to today's standards its ugly but for back then it was really good. Me thinks you are one of those people who just likes you complain about every single thing.
Why do you ever post. Every time I read one of your comments they are negative. There are millions and millions and millions and millions of people who will disagree with you on everything you just said. For the time when FF7 came out it was one of the best looking games. You saying Doom looked better than FF7 is complete BS, obviously to today's standards its ugly but for back then it was really good. Me thinks you are one of those people who just likes you complain about every single thing.
Because there's people like you that posts to make my day.
Just for kicks:
Millions of people will disagree with me? Geeze, ain't that a shocker. FF7 is incredibly popular and loved. I don't recall saying otherwise.
I post these things because I almost always have a different view of the masses. I'm sorry if I don't blend into this stupid society to be exactly like everybody else and doing things the way they are "meant to be" and liking things because "they say so".
And here's a fact: 3D models with very small polygons didn't age well. They represent the worst looking games ever and these probably all come from around 1996. Older games tend to use more 2D than 3D, and that 2D looks more believable and realistic than models for games around 1996, which are so blocky its ridiculous.
But you're perfectly entitled to find it all beautiful. And if my negativity displeases you then feel free to ignore me, but don't attack me just because you can't take my opinion, its quite absurd.
Sephiroth is predictable? I seriously doubt that many more people can agree with that. He killed a main character halfway through the game, creating one of the most tragic moments in video game history. Aeris knew he would at least try this. She sacrificed herself for the common good of mankind, for the very people that imprisoned her. Then she goes through all kinds of relationship development with all the main characters. And then she's killed. We have a female Jesus figure, basically. That's a first, at least by video game standards.
Sephiroth as a character isn't always portrayed well, but he has clear and distinct motives for what he does. An excellent examination of the mother-son relationship in a very bizarre way.
And the music? I cry to this day when I hear any variation on Aerith's theme. It's a musical masterpiece. It was inspired by classical composers, and it works as a conveyer of story, emotion, and character. Sacrifice, love, and rebirth can easily be felt and heard throughout.
Anyone who discredits it as a vital component of, at the very least, the JRPG, isn't observing it objectively. But it's so much more than that. It's a landmark and a benchmark. It conveys the culture of the time it was created, albeit amplified and concentrated. It responds to post-modern concerns and has clear messages.
Sephiroth is predictable? I seriously doubt that many more people can agree with that. He killed a main character halfway through the game, creating one of the most tragic moments in video game history. Aeris knew he would at least try this. She sacrificed herself for the common good of mankind, for the very people that imprisoned her. Then she goes through all kinds of relationship development with all the main characters. And then she's killed. We have a female Jesus figure, basically. That's a first, at least by video game standards.
Sephiroth as a character isn't always portrayed well, but he has clear and distinct motives for what he does. An excellent examination of the mother-son relationship in a very bizarre way.
And the music? I cry to this day when I hear any variation on Aerith's theme. It's a musical masterpiece. It was inspired by classical composers, and it works as a conveyer of story, emotion, and character. Sacrifice, love, and rebirth can easily be felt and heard throughout.
Anyone who discredits it as a vital component of, at the very least, the JRPG, isn't observing it objectively. But it's so much more than that. It's a landmark and a benchmark. It conveys the culture of the time it was created, albeit amplified and concentrated. It responds to post-modern concerns and has clear messages.
1. FF6 (FFIII in SNES) - Incredible story, great graphics for the time, engrossing characters (good and bad), amazing customization system for character abilities.
2. FF Tactics - The most incredible strategy RPG I have played, then or now. Great story, amazing job system, and just a lot of fun.
3. FF7 - Love it or hate it, this was THE 3D RPG. Nothing compared to seeing some of those summons for the first time, however, the rediculous "summon charge" system of spamming button pressing was a terrible idea. Not allowing fast-forward of summon screens (Knights of the Round anyone?) = fail. That said, I loved the convoluted storyline and characters. If this were remade for a modern system I would buy it in a heartbeat.
4. Chrono Trigger - Absolutely amazing game with a great storyline, multiple-endings, and deep combat.
5. Secret of Mana - A multi-player action RPG? I'm in! This was a fun game with a mediocre storyline, but great music and a top-notch multiplayer experience.
I always hated, despised even, the gameplay of FF games. Beyond boring and tedious. Make it action based and still so interesting story wise, and I would have played them more.
Tried to get in a few. Thought FF8 was very interesting but again, gameplay got in the way. Random encounters with appearing enemies and turn based system... all day long... yaaaawn...
FF7, story wise... looked very interesting, and everybody loves it. So I thought lets give it a shot, right? I'm sorry but I can't. I play ugly games alright. But FF7 is beyond ugly. It was done in that one era of absolutely disgusting 3D that looks worse than Pong, Doom, and any half-3D games I've seen. It truly is the ugliest game I have ever seen, and one of the only game I can actually say: I can't play it, because its too damn ugly!
I'm saying that because people find that FF7 "aged well", but no 3D game looks as bad as it does. I never thought I'd push a game away purely because of its graphic before I played it again.
I had the same problem. The combat system weighed so heavily against my enjoyment of the game that I dropped it. Turn-based battle is simply not for me.
I didn't mind the graphics.
You should try FF12. This is the only one I managed to play. They did a brilliant spin on the traditional fighting encounters.
Story-wise though it leaves much to be desired. I still enjoyed it all the same.
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FF8 is one of those "love it or hate it" games, with almost no one in-between.
Favorite series of all time is easily Silent Hill, no story gets deeper in the history of ANY media.
But OMFG do I love the opening theme song to FF10!!!!!!! (The song itself makes me feel all kinds of experiences)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmzZrj-cLSc
Besides if it was the final fantasy why are there so many? That's not very final of them.
It's such an overrated game, I really couldn't agree with you more.
- FF4, unfortunately I only got to play the watered down american version that is FF2 on SNES, but it was still so good for its time.
- FF6 (FF3 US version) on SNES. Sabin's Blitz skill was an awesome mechanic and Kefka's laugh was simply EPIC!
It was Square's last ditch attempt to save the company. Apparently, they were going down the shitter and were about to die, so they released this game before going under. The Japanese market absolutely loved it, and so they released it in America, and it kept the company from going under.
It was supposed to be their final game, hence Final Fantasy.
Zelda OoT +1. There is few things in life more rewarding than jumping over the fence in the ranch into the wide open plains on your trusty steed.
I loved final fantasy 7 but I was way to young to be any good at it. I use to just sit around for hours and watching my bro play it.
In recent times the only story of a game I've really been engaged in is the Haris Jones quest line in WoW Cataclysm.
I prefer Final Fantasy VIII, it just carries so much more emotional impact. You're so much more connected to the characters.
In FFVII, Cloud just ends up some generic, shitty clone that doesn't even have his own memories. He's probably the LEAST interesting character in the game. It's not a bad game, it's fucking great, just not the classic everyone heralds it to be.
"to the worm in horseradish, the world is horseradish."
Try getting all the triple triad cards and summons in FFVIII. I had a game save going for almost 10 years that ended up erased by an idiot buddy making room for a football season...god I hate sports games.
450 hours is nothing in a game like Fallout or Morrowind, you should check them out if you haven't
I always hated, despised even, the gameplay of FF games. Beyond boring and tedious. Make it action based and still so interesting story wise, and I would have played them more.
Tried to get in a few. Thought FF8 was very interesting but again, gameplay got in the way. Random encounters with appearing enemies and turn based system... all day long... yaaaawn...
FF7, story wise... looked very interesting, and everybody loves it. So I thought lets give it a shot, right? I'm sorry but I can't. I play ugly games alright. But FF7 is beyond ugly. It was done in that one era of absolutely disgusting 3D that looks worse than Pong, Doom, and any half-3D games I've seen. It truly is the ugliest game I have ever seen, and one of the only game I can actually say: I can't play it, because its too damn ugly!
I'm saying that because people find that FF7 "aged well", but no 3D game looks as bad as it does. I never thought I'd push a game away purely because of its graphic before I played it again.
Just for kicks:
Millions of people will disagree with me? Geeze, ain't that a shocker. FF7 is incredibly popular and loved. I don't recall saying otherwise.
I post these things because I almost always have a different view of the masses. I'm sorry if I don't blend into this stupid society to be exactly like everybody else and doing things the way they are "meant to be" and liking things because "they say so".
And here's a fact: 3D models with very small polygons didn't age well. They represent the worst looking games ever and these probably all come from around 1996. Older games tend to use more 2D than 3D, and that 2D looks more believable and realistic than models for games around 1996, which are so blocky its ridiculous.
But you're perfectly entitled to find it all beautiful. And if my negativity displeases you then feel free to ignore me, but don't attack me just because you can't take my opinion, its quite absurd.
Sephiroth as a character isn't always portrayed well, but he has clear and distinct motives for what he does. An excellent examination of the mother-son relationship in a very bizarre way.
And the music? I cry to this day when I hear any variation on Aerith's theme. It's a musical masterpiece. It was inspired by classical composers, and it works as a conveyer of story, emotion, and character. Sacrifice, love, and rebirth can easily be felt and heard throughout.
Anyone who discredits it as a vital component of, at the very least, the JRPG, isn't observing it objectively. But it's so much more than that. It's a landmark and a benchmark. It conveys the culture of the time it was created, albeit amplified and concentrated. It responds to post-modern concerns and has clear messages.
This. +1
1. FF6 (FFIII in SNES) - Incredible story, great graphics for the time, engrossing characters (good and bad), amazing customization system for character abilities.
2. FF Tactics - The most incredible strategy RPG I have played, then or now. Great story, amazing job system, and just a lot of fun.
3. FF7 - Love it or hate it, this was THE 3D RPG. Nothing compared to seeing some of those summons for the first time, however, the rediculous "summon charge" system of spamming button pressing was a terrible idea. Not allowing fast-forward of summon screens (Knights of the Round anyone?) = fail. That said, I loved the convoluted storyline and characters. If this were remade for a modern system I would buy it in a heartbeat.
4. Chrono Trigger - Absolutely amazing game with a great storyline, multiple-endings, and deep combat.
5. Secret of Mana - A multi-player action RPG? I'm in! This was a fun game with a mediocre storyline, but great music and a top-notch multiplayer experience.
I had the same problem. The combat system weighed so heavily against my enjoyment of the game that I dropped it. Turn-based battle is simply not for me.
I didn't mind the graphics.
You should try FF12. This is the only one I managed to play. They did a brilliant spin on the traditional fighting encounters.
Story-wise though it leaves much to be desired. I still enjoyed it all the same.