The Final Fantasy series was known for its difficutly level at one time especially with FFI , one of the hardest games ever but overtime the difficulty level of the games were getting easier and easier with each installment. Granted, the pre FFI-V were were no walk in the park but when FFVI cam, it didn't really feel like a challenge at all. I don't know whether ity was all the nes feature they put in or maybe I am just that good but still FFVI-FFXII were almost a breeze to defeat and didn't even need to think when I played them. That doesn't that it didn't even have its troublesome points but the overall gameplay of FFVI-FFXII games is easier than the earlier games. Does anyone else notice this or I am just making thins up?
Difficulty Level of FF
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DarkClaymore
Fatal Noob
Totally agree. I wanted to make such a thread myself. But I forgot... 
The first FF I have played is FFXII. The next "main" FFs were FFVII-FFX.
I thought they are something between easy to average difficulty.
Then I played the NES FFI. It was a killer!
I though I'll never be able to complete this game!
I somehow managed to finish it in the end, but I still consider it as my "hardest game of all times".
FFII was a little easier , but still offered some challenge and I had to escape a lot from dungeons.
FFIII was much easier than the previous ones, but still was much harder than FFVII-FFXII.
FFIV is quite easy so far. Probably somewhere from this point the games became much easier. Didn't play FFV and FFVI yet, so not sure.
I think it is probably because in the NES/SNES games there were hard dungeons which you usually can't pass from the first attemp. While in FFVII-FFXII, there are no really "dungeons" and rather just "places" which easy to pass.
The "real" challenge FFVII-FFXII is probably the optional bosses.
I usually ignore them though. So of course the games will be a piece of cake then.
The first FF I have played is FFXII. The next "main" FFs were FFVII-FFX.
I thought they are something between easy to average difficulty.
Then I played the NES FFI. It was a killer!
I though I'll never be able to complete this game!
I somehow managed to finish it in the end, but I still consider it as my "hardest game of all times".
FFII was a little easier , but still offered some challenge and I had to escape a lot from dungeons.
FFIII was much easier than the previous ones, but still was much harder than FFVII-FFXII.
FFIV is quite easy so far. Probably somewhere from this point the games became much easier. Didn't play FFV and FFVI yet, so not sure.
I think it is probably because in the NES/SNES games there were hard dungeons which you usually can't pass from the first attemp. While in FFVII-FFXII, there are no really "dungeons" and rather just "places" which easy to pass.
The "real" challenge FFVII-FFXII is probably the optional bosses.
I usually ignore them though. So of course the games will be a piece of cake then.
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I think generally, they are a little easier than they were, but first time around, FFX and FFXII provided quite a lot of challenge. Certain bosses in FFX will always be hard, no matter how many times you play through the game.
I also think that as we develop is gamers (ie, the more Final Fantasy games we play) the better we become at them. I first played FFIV at 14 years old I think, with only FFVII-FFIX as experience (up until that point, I had only completed FFVII too), and it has taken me until last month to finish it. Granted, I wasn't playing it solid all that time, but it was my third serious save file I'd tried to complete it on.
I think the way to beat FF games is to be well organised/prepared, to plan ahead, and to explore every nook and cranny. As we get more and more used to the series, we get better at these things, which may yield the illusion that the series is growing easier. I still do agree that the first 6 in the series is harder than the most recent 6.
I also think that as we develop is gamers (ie, the more Final Fantasy games we play) the better we become at them. I first played FFIV at 14 years old I think, with only FFVII-FFIX as experience (up until that point, I had only completed FFVII too), and it has taken me until last month to finish it. Granted, I wasn't playing it solid all that time, but it was my third serious save file I'd tried to complete it on.
I think the way to beat FF games is to be well organised/prepared, to plan ahead, and to explore every nook and cranny. As we get more and more used to the series, we get better at these things, which may yield the illusion that the series is growing easier. I still do agree that the first 6 in the series is harder than the most recent 6.
aintnoscrub
Ex-Soldier
All ff's are hard on the first playthrough, but then i find them easy as ever on the second playthrough
You will find the game more easier after your first play because you already know the game completely. You are awared of the enemie's weakness, the sidequest, etc. You also know what strategy to use as you go on in the game.
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HighwindPilot
White Mage
I never found 3-6 to be very difficult at all. I think a fair argument though is that the latter additions to the series (6 or 7 and onward) maybe have a few quirks to get you through things easier that the early additions didn't have.
And then of course, like most RPG, what you do with your character levels determines your level of difficulty as well.
ANY RPG can be made easy. It's not like any of the FF games are just presented to you as a cakewalk.
And then of course, like most RPG, what you do with your character levels determines your level of difficulty as well.
ANY RPG can be made easy. It's not like any of the FF games are just presented to you as a cakewalk.
The difficulty levels seem to be getting easier every time a new console is released >_>
DS and PS2 Final Fantasy games are a walk through the park really, FFXII had its difficulties with espers and such like but it was still easy overall, apart from the Elder Wyrm
Final Fantasy I and II weren't easy, even though they were remakes however.
DS and PS2 Final Fantasy games are a walk through the park really, FFXII had its difficulties with espers and such like but it was still easy overall, apart from the Elder Wyrm
Final Fantasy I and II weren't easy, even though they were remakes however.
Noctis Lucis Caelum
Banned
the only reason i actually went back to deafeat iii-vi was because they were hard,i and ii were too hard,i think they were better with the challenge and that shouldnt be changed,but people dont look for difficulty in an rpg series,so,its kind of a flaw
.Tifa
Happiness can not be taken away~
Nah. Kinda felt like Final Fantasy XII was pretty tough, not to mention the dungeons were pretty long and it took a while to get used to the new fighting system, and it was harder to find items and it even took longer for your characters to level up with experience points. Final Fantasy X was pretty easy, but SE fixed up the lack of gaming challenge with XII.
Final Fantasy 1 & 2 were pretty hard, and have been playing through a harder upgrade of FF IV so can't judge. Reckon that FF VI is either really easy or really difficult depending on your level of play and your experience with older games, Final Fantasy and RPGs. Found VI pretty hard, because never really had the retro Final Fantasy experience before but once got rolling and started to understand things more VI wasn't that bad difficulty wise.
But the question is do we really want a Final Fantasy that was hardcore insane on difficulty again ? Mean difficult games can put newer players off, and even players who struggle with the game and not as good as known "experts ". Reckon that SE's level on Final Fantasy difficulty is pretty okay. They start out pretty easy/simple but around the middle end they start to really unleash the harder bosses and the longer dungeons.
Kinda like how SE are being nicer to less expert fans and those who are new to the game. ^-^ Not everybody is a Omega level 100- defeat Ultimeca in a couple of Lionheart limit break attacks champions.
Final Fantasy 1 & 2 were pretty hard, and have been playing through a harder upgrade of FF IV so can't judge. Reckon that FF VI is either really easy or really difficult depending on your level of play and your experience with older games, Final Fantasy and RPGs. Found VI pretty hard, because never really had the retro Final Fantasy experience before but once got rolling and started to understand things more VI wasn't that bad difficulty wise.
But the question is do we really want a Final Fantasy that was hardcore insane on difficulty again ? Mean difficult games can put newer players off, and even players who struggle with the game and not as good as known "experts ". Reckon that SE's level on Final Fantasy difficulty is pretty okay. They start out pretty easy/simple but around the middle end they start to really unleash the harder bosses and the longer dungeons.
Kinda like how SE are being nicer to less expert fans and those who are new to the game. ^-^ Not everybody is a Omega level 100- defeat Ultimeca in a couple of Lionheart limit break attacks champions.
I think the series gradually got easier as well. Although, Final Fantasy I was hardn't. Rather, I think point of difficulty started with Final Fantasy IV which is the hardest in my opinion. 5 was a pushover. Final Fantasy 6 was quite hard if I remember correctly, though I didn't play the game much at all. Final Fantasy VII was patheticly easy, all of the overly obvious game breaking materia made the game a snap, even without it the game wasn't very hard. I remember Final Fantasy 8 being somewhat difficulty and 9 a bit easier. Thats all I've played.
Sohryuden666
So She Moves Forward...
I think the difficulty tends to shift sometimes. I mean, one FF can be hard, then the next one is easier, then the cycle starts all over again. For instance, I thought FFX was pretty easy (not too easy, of course) then I got frustrated while playing FFXII. I'll admit, it wasn't all that difficult, but I thought some of the battles and dungeons were more annoying than the ones in FFX, which is why I found it more difficult.
Cloudsmind
Saying No Is A Postponement Of Evolution
i find that the newer games are a lot easier than the older one
final fantasy 5 ive found the hardest but i think thats down to the fact that magic systems have become dominant over items
now its easy to get hp and mp to 9999 but in FF4 ive found it hard to even get over 1300 in knight and lancer classes and my mp on my spellcasters is only 260 something
using items in the later games have become uselless because they dont make a big enough impact on health gauges or mana gauges whereas using a spell such as cure 3 or curaga can heal them in one casting thus making it easier to survive
final fantasy 5 ive found the hardest but i think thats down to the fact that magic systems have become dominant over items
now its easy to get hp and mp to 9999 but in FF4 ive found it hard to even get over 1300 in knight and lancer classes and my mp on my spellcasters is only 260 something
using items in the later games have become uselless because they dont make a big enough impact on health gauges or mana gauges whereas using a spell such as cure 3 or curaga can heal them in one casting thus making it easier to survive
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As long as you power level with intense grinding marathons- the games are never that difficult. FFXII is the one game where power levelling doesn't necessarily mean it will be a breeze. I generally had some difficulties with XII at first because it's much more frantic and is real time compared with other games bar X-2. Only strategies on what a boss is weak to and what spell can come in handy etc., can secure your party a victory whereas in the earlier games, as long as you are a ridiculously high level in the current stage you're in, you can fell a boss with a couple of "Attack" commands. Personally, Final Fantasy XII was no more easier than X. FFX can be punishing at times, especially if you're facing a particular Dark Aeon.
GoldenMaster
Ex-Soldier
They got easier everytime I replayed them. But some were easy to start out with, including FFVIII, FFX and absolutly FFVI. It also depends on which one you start out with. If you start with a hard one then move to an easy one its going to seem more easy than the other. Confusing, I Know.
HighwindPilot
White Mage
Thank you. As I've said, any RPG can be made easy.
For instance, some call FFVII easy, but is it really presented as such? No. Without extensive grinding of levels or materia, certain opponets, even random monsters (Sunken Gelinka anyone?) could kick your ass without proper focus or strengthened characters.
Does it get easier when you start AP mastering Mimes & Counters, gaining Final Attack, KOTR, W Summon, etc...? Obviously; and even more so if you whore these things to death. But think about all the work you have to put in to do this kind of stuff. You're making it easy.
In VIII, is it natural to go and create so many of the characters' Final Weapons on Disc 1? Master Junctions and LBs so quickly, or even whore "Enemy Away"? No, but you have the option to do stuff like this that'll allow for an easier game.
It's an RPG - the level of difficulty is not something that's supposed to be predetermined, you ultimately decide it.
The real difference is that the later games offer these kind of options more than the earlier additions.
The only one I felt that was actually presented easy would be X. With no ABT and the ability to rotate characters in battle, they set that shit up to be a cakewalk.
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DarkClaymore
Fatal Noob
It is true that if you level up a lot and such, then it becomes much easier like others said.
But what if it is even hard to level up?
For example, FFX-2 is very easy because it is easy to level up (I had level 80 character and I rarely even pass level 50 in other FFS. I am not really into trainning...).
On the other hand, in the NES FFI (which IMO the hardest FF I have played so far and the hardest game I ever played) it is even hard to level up.
It takes a lot of time to beat enemies and sometimes they can even kill you.
After losing to the final boss, I said "I gonna level up 10 levels!!!".
I hardly managed to level up 3 levels before giving up on the idea.
And even though I was already strong enough the beat the final boss (as I learned latter, after actually trying again), the dungeon still was really hard and I had to retry it a few times before I reached the final boss again.
The only two other FFs which offered such challenge are: FFII, FFIII.
The other I have played so far are VERY easy.
And I don't get why people say FFIV and FFXII are hard.
FFXII was my first FF and I was quite the noob back then.
I stuck only at one part and only becaue I didn't do any side quests and didn't have: money, level and good equipment.
After doing a few side quests and learning that I have to do side quests from time to time, the rest of the game was very easy.
As for those who say FFIV is hard, they probably didn't play the same version I did. I played the english SNES version (which is called FFII) and it was very easy. I don't remember even losing once, and I tend to lose a lot even in games other s call easy. Like KHII for example.
Many say it is very easy, but I can't even count how many times I got Game Over there.
But what if it is even hard to level up?
For example, FFX-2 is very easy because it is easy to level up (I had level 80 character and I rarely even pass level 50 in other FFS. I am not really into trainning...).
On the other hand, in the NES FFI (which IMO the hardest FF I have played so far and the hardest game I ever played) it is even hard to level up.
It takes a lot of time to beat enemies and sometimes they can even kill you.
After losing to the final boss, I said "I gonna level up 10 levels!!!".
I hardly managed to level up 3 levels before giving up on the idea.
And even though I was already strong enough the beat the final boss (as I learned latter, after actually trying again), the dungeon still was really hard and I had to retry it a few times before I reached the final boss again.
The only two other FFs which offered such challenge are: FFII, FFIII.
The other I have played so far are VERY easy.
And I don't get why people say FFIV and FFXII are hard.
FFXII was my first FF and I was quite the noob back then.
I stuck only at one part and only becaue I didn't do any side quests and didn't have: money, level and good equipment.
After doing a few side quests and learning that I have to do side quests from time to time, the rest of the game was very easy.
As for those who say FFIV is hard, they probably didn't play the same version I did. I played the english SNES version (which is called FFII) and it was very easy. I don't remember even losing once, and I tend to lose a lot even in games other s call easy. Like KHII for example.
Many say it is very easy, but I can't even count how many times I got Game Over there.
wehttamrd
Chocobo Breeder
I have noticed that while I am currently playing Final Fantasy X and the battles are MUCH easier than the ones in Final Fantasy IX.
Yes I feel that they have gotten easier. It is so easy to get to the max level and the bosses are a cake walk then. I thought that I, IV and V (PS versions, not the dumbed down versions) were the hardest games. I had to be 75 to beat the final boss in IV and I really was trying to get to max level but I got impatient. And even then I finished Zeromus with only three characters left alive. And that damn evil wall XD. V I found my self getting killed in random battles because i was walking on the wrong side of the forest. By VII, it seemed that they felt that the final boss should be easy so people can just play for the storyline. And then they added optional bosses for people that wanted the challenge.
So yeah, they definently got easier after V.
So yeah, they definently got easier after V.