The obvious answer is VI and VII, + Tactics.
I is the inaugural classic, deficient on so many things from today's point of view, but it had a vision, solid difficulty and surprising good balance. The game that started it all. Four Warriors indeed.
II was ambitious but broken. The level up system is totaly fubar and inconsistent, which ruins an otherwise good game.
III was one of the best RPGs for the NES. Good music, surprising long, defined the class system, some good humor, and beware, it's very, very tough. Probably the toughest in the entire serie in fact. From 7+ it has been mainly walks through the parks targeted at the mainstream, so "new" gamers are in for a shock. It had summons, ninjas, sages, extremely hard last level. Definetely worth the nostalgia trip, with a patched (english) rom.
IV redefined the serie, and is something unique. The graphics were not really "next-gen" for the snes, but the game delivered on all the other accounts. Unique and engaging characters, in the Top 3 for music in the serie, fast gameplay, hard hitting ennemies. It might not have the depth of the other games with the limited skills and system, but IV is, for lack of other word, the most "rememberable", unique and refreshing game of the serie. Fast summons, a dark night turning Paladin, treason and redemption, and then going to the f**cking moon fight bad ass bosses to get awesome weapons, and leveling up to get to the red hot core of the moon. How awesome is that? Some games have the X factor, the unexplainable magic, attirance, they are greater than the sum of their part. IV is the perfect example.
V was interesting, good job system, but felt less compelling and engaging with the generic vilain and less developped characters. The music was good but not like 4 and 6. Good, varied gameplay, good humor and definetely the "Square" factor in there, but the game is the weakest of the 3 on Snes.
VI is THE classic, with plot, characters and pure gameplay unsurpassed in the serie, plus probably the best music too. The game was so balanced, enjoyable, mature, complex but easy to grasp. Make your own party, great skills, big inventory, characters unique AND customizable, the world destroyed turning to Ruin. The fights were quick and enjoyable, the characters lovable, human and tragic. VI is considered, and will always be remembered as the pure "classic" final fantasy, the apotheosis of all the love and experience Square had gathered so far. The translation by Ted Woosley was the best in the serie, probably. Magistral and timeless. Here is the point where Square started to drop the difficulty level to go mainstream, but the challenge was still good.
VII is the "new gen" classic, which has redefined the serie. Music is great but not as good as VI, plot interesting but kinda confusing and written with less skill, loading time + some repetitive fights really slowed the pace down, and the difficulty level was disappointing for old school gamers, but the overall package, FMWs, great villain, scope and innovation make it a classic too. The Hype was incredible, and on most accounts the game delivered.
VIII was boring, much too slow, long ass summons, stupid teenagers etc. Really pushed the "minigame" concept too far. Felt like a chore to play through.
IX was, like had been said, bright and enjoyable, a bit simplistic and the last part did not deliver. A solid effort though.
Can't comment on 10, 11 and 12.
Tactics is an acquired taste, very tough, very complex and very long, but the quality of the game, balance, music and story is very, very high. Square showed us they could deliver a dark anc deep story packaged in a recognizable package. A classic too.
I hope XIII will be great and not too targeted at the mainstream.
Simple question: why not, from the get-go, allow gamers to choose their difficulty level? Change from the default "cakewalk" of 7+ and allow a hard setting?
I also don't see how the interface of snes games (like V and VI) can be considered more "clunky" than VII or VIII, since they are basicaly the same. Fights are: press up or down to choose action, then action button or select through a list of spells which you can order to your wish. Press a button to go to menu, choose from one of many actions to do etc. Really, the "interface" hasn't changed, only the name of the actions did.
I is the inaugural classic, deficient on so many things from today's point of view, but it had a vision, solid difficulty and surprising good balance. The game that started it all. Four Warriors indeed.
II was ambitious but broken. The level up system is totaly fubar and inconsistent, which ruins an otherwise good game.
III was one of the best RPGs for the NES. Good music, surprising long, defined the class system, some good humor, and beware, it's very, very tough. Probably the toughest in the entire serie in fact. From 7+ it has been mainly walks through the parks targeted at the mainstream, so "new" gamers are in for a shock. It had summons, ninjas, sages, extremely hard last level. Definetely worth the nostalgia trip, with a patched (english) rom.
IV redefined the serie, and is something unique. The graphics were not really "next-gen" for the snes, but the game delivered on all the other accounts. Unique and engaging characters, in the Top 3 for music in the serie, fast gameplay, hard hitting ennemies. It might not have the depth of the other games with the limited skills and system, but IV is, for lack of other word, the most "rememberable", unique and refreshing game of the serie. Fast summons, a dark night turning Paladin, treason and redemption, and then going to the f**cking moon fight bad ass bosses to get awesome weapons, and leveling up to get to the red hot core of the moon. How awesome is that? Some games have the X factor, the unexplainable magic, attirance, they are greater than the sum of their part. IV is the perfect example.
V was interesting, good job system, but felt less compelling and engaging with the generic vilain and less developped characters. The music was good but not like 4 and 6. Good, varied gameplay, good humor and definetely the "Square" factor in there, but the game is the weakest of the 3 on Snes.
VI is THE classic, with plot, characters and pure gameplay unsurpassed in the serie, plus probably the best music too. The game was so balanced, enjoyable, mature, complex but easy to grasp. Make your own party, great skills, big inventory, characters unique AND customizable, the world destroyed turning to Ruin. The fights were quick and enjoyable, the characters lovable, human and tragic. VI is considered, and will always be remembered as the pure "classic" final fantasy, the apotheosis of all the love and experience Square had gathered so far. The translation by Ted Woosley was the best in the serie, probably. Magistral and timeless. Here is the point where Square started to drop the difficulty level to go mainstream, but the challenge was still good.
VII is the "new gen" classic, which has redefined the serie. Music is great but not as good as VI, plot interesting but kinda confusing and written with less skill, loading time + some repetitive fights really slowed the pace down, and the difficulty level was disappointing for old school gamers, but the overall package, FMWs, great villain, scope and innovation make it a classic too. The Hype was incredible, and on most accounts the game delivered.
VIII was boring, much too slow, long ass summons, stupid teenagers etc. Really pushed the "minigame" concept too far. Felt like a chore to play through.
IX was, like had been said, bright and enjoyable, a bit simplistic and the last part did not deliver. A solid effort though.
Can't comment on 10, 11 and 12.
Tactics is an acquired taste, very tough, very complex and very long, but the quality of the game, balance, music and story is very, very high. Square showed us they could deliver a dark anc deep story packaged in a recognizable package. A classic too.
I hope XIII will be great and not too targeted at the mainstream.
Simple question: why not, from the get-go, allow gamers to choose their difficulty level? Change from the default "cakewalk" of 7+ and allow a hard setting?
I also don't see how the interface of snes games (like V and VI) can be considered more "clunky" than VII or VIII, since they are basicaly the same. Fights are: press up or down to choose action, then action button or select through a list of spells which you can order to your wish. Press a button to go to menu, choose from one of many actions to do etc. Really, the "interface" hasn't changed, only the name of the actions did.
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