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DeadRinger

DeadRinger

Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2019
Messages
12
Location
Northern Virginia, USA
Gil
9
So as I said in my "new kid" post, I'm laying out my plan here. Basically the short story is: I played VII, VIII, X with my friends growing up, and we were obsessed of course. Now that I'm set with a family/career, I have more patience with which to really delve into the universe of FF, and I've been addicted to the research for months now. Problem is, my old FF friends aren't around to share. But I don't care, I love it, you know how it is. I included/excluded games mainly based on my style preferences, but tried to stick with the main series minus MMO. Not trying to strictly 100%, but definitely trying to get every side quest/optional boss.

Here's the plan, if I can actually get through it:
FF I on NES Classic (recently finished)
FF II on FF Origins via PSN (currently playing)
FF III on PSP-2000 (Crisis Core edition!) to use as a controller, AV'd to my PS3 for the big screen console experience
FF IV on PSN
FF V on PSN
FF VI on PSN
Chrono Trigger on FF Chronicles via PSN
FF VII on PSN
FF Tactics on PSN
Xenogears on PSN? haven't checked for it yet
Chrono Cross on PSN
FF VIII on PSN
FF IX on PSN
Vagrant Story on PSN
FF X on PSN
FF X-2 on PSN
FF XII (The Zodiac Age on PS4)
FF XIII PS3
FF Type-0 HD PS4
FF XIII-2 PS3
Lightning Returns PS3
World of FF PS4
FF XV PS4
Octopath Traveler (Switch)

After years of gaming hiatus for me I'm so excited for this haha! Any comments on another game that you thing I should add? Plenty of you have surely already done something similar. People on other forums have suggested that I add Tactics Advance and Bravely Default.

Lastly, I was always a social/team player type with these games. One of us specialized in Blitzball, Chocobo racing, or whatever, when we were younger. So If anyone might be up for some nostalgia in the DC area let me know!

Cheers
 
Playing all of those games is a very ambitious thing to do! I wish you the best. :argor:

@winksgaming12 has been doing something similar lately.

I second the suggestion that you should add Tactics Advance. It isn't as strong as the original Tactics game, but I found it to be a very interesting game and it tells a very different story to any other FF game out there. There's plenty to discuss with that game.

I have not played Bravely Default myself but I am aware that it is a sort of spiritual sibling of Final Fantasy and shares a lot with the franchise. I've encountered Bravely Default a few times while researching for my Mythology Manual articles and my magazine articles for the forum.
 
Took a quick visit to your Manual, very cool idea, up my alley, I'll have to check more of it out. I'm currently finishing up FF2 so the fact that it is in part a huge Star Wars fan project is fun. Will check out where Winks is at too. And I think I've heard enough praise for Tactics Advance that I have to add it. Have you played Grimoire? Thoughts?
 
May I just chip in this thought, the PSP has some wonderful 2D ports of Final Fantasy, I know you've already beat FF1 & are playing FF2 on PS1'S Origins, but I plead with you to consider the PSP version of Final Fantasy IV, it's so crisp and sharp and doesn't look bobbly and awful like the iOS versions!

I am someone who has struggled to play 'earlier' FF games, but soon intend to play Final Fantasy V for the first time properly! I intend to do so via GBA Emulator Using a PS4 controller - Before anyone QUACKS at me, I own the original GBA version :P But I am hoping I will pull through it.

Also, in regards to Final Fantasy X, you say PSN... is that the PS3 version or the PS4 version - I'd recommend the PS4 version as it has quicker loading times but more importantly it doesn't have the horrendous Remastered Soundtrack!

Also Tips my hat to you for including World of Final Fantasy, it's surprisingly a blast!

I wish you best of luck on your FF adventures, be sure to updates us along the way :)
 
Aww, nice to see you would like to play all FF games! I also made a list to myself which game I can play in which platform. Can I ask what consoles you own?

I just ask because in case there are several ports for a game, we can help you to find the best alternative/version to play it! (It is basicly true for FFI-FFVI, there are several ports but some of them are more recommended than others.)
Like in the case of FFII. Had I known earlier you want to play that, I would have recommended cheking the GBA or the PSP version. It has a GBA/PSP-limited story (an extra dungeon with some story basicly) after the main game, it is called "Soul of Rebirth". Of course you don't have to play that to understand FFII but it adds to the experience.

And there are some games for PSP, DS, 3DS, Gamecube etc. I am also interested in playing (or already played and would recommend), but I don't want to frustrate you to list some titles you can't play right now due to the lack of certain devices.

If you would like to play Bravely Default, I suspect you own a 3DS. Then in case you like FF soundtracks and like rhythm games, you should check "Final Fantasy Theathrythm: Curtain Call" (it is the upgraded version of the first game with much more content, you don't need to buy that, Curtain Call has everything and more than the first game).

You can also check Dissidia titles for PSP (and Dissidia NT for PS4) if you would like to fight with and against FF characters.

Also there is a super cute game called "Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales" for the DS (but can be played on 3DS as well). I just started playing it recently and it is so much fun!

Aaaaand I really don't want to seem pushy but Mana series is basicly a little sister/brother to Final Fantasy, so if you would like some other nice jrpgs, you should definitely check Mana games as well!:D
 
Vivi - Some very useful advice. Yea I get you about WFF, I kind of brushed it off at first, but have heard great things. And sorry I didn't say this but my PSN versions of III and IV are actually PSP games so that should be fun. My used PSP-2000 Crisis Core edition has not arrived yet so I think I'll have to skip those two games until it arrives. Totally did not realize that about PS4 X! I was planning on getting the PS3 version on PSN (Just never bought a PS4) but PS4 time is quick approaching for me (I am VERY slow on technology!) so I'm sure I'll play it on that.

JK - I have only PS3 and a PSP-2000 is shipped on the way. PS4 is a definite purchase finally too (for my racing games and eventually FFX and beyond). Just trying to have one way to play everything without buying a bunch of consoles, and I'm somewhat (not completely) a PS loyalist. I really appreciate your willingness to provide input for that though. Soul of Rebirth: I had heard of it but I was excited to start some games before the PSP got here! Oh well. The other types of games don't really interest me (rhythm, dissidia, chocobo series, etc.).

Mana (and SaGa and some others) is a series I consider from time to time but, I seem to favor more the modern environments with a bit of sci-fi. Like, I am super excited for Xeno and XV. I think I-VI will fill most of my medieval needs until Tactics :)
 
Yeah, I can totally see what you mean. :D There are so many FF titles and it is only natural that anybody would want to play them in the easiest way, the fewest platforms included if possible. Having PS consoles is perfect for this, with your PS3, PSP on the way and future PS4, you will have literally full access to all main FF titles. :D

I see, no problem! I just listed some more games not knowing you aren't really interested in them. To be honest at first I wasn't either, but somehow still started playing them and fell in love. :,D That is why I like recommending them, of course they are different than the main titles but still have great athmosphere and often main FF title characters/protagonists.

If you start playing Xenogears, I would really love to hear your opinion about it! I am also interested in that game. :)
 
Cool, I'll keep an eye on these forums and update when I move down the list :) Doing them in order is fun because FFI had tons of issues, storyline and mechanics. So other games seem great so far by comparison :)
 

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Progress update / Additions and changes:

FF I on NES Classic (complete)
FF II on FF Origins via PSN (complete)
FF III on PSP-2000 (FFVII 10th anniv ed. of course) (current)
FF IV on PSP-2000
FF V on PSN (complete)
FF VI on PSN
Secret of Mana on SNES Classic*
Chrono Trigger on FF Chronicles via PSN
FF VII on PSN
FF Tactics on PSN
Xenogears on PSN
Chrono Cross on PSN
FF VIII on PSN
FF IX on PSN
Vagrant Story on PSN
FF X PS4 remaster
FF X-2 PS4 remaster
Drakengard on PSN*
Drakengard 2 on PSN*
FF XII (The Zodiac Age on PS4)
FF XIII PS3
Nier PS3*
FF XIII-2 PS3
Drakengard 3 PS3*
Lightning Returns PS3
FF Type-0 HD PS4
World of FF PS4
FF XV PS4
Nier: Automata PS4
FF VII Remake PS4

*new additions

Anyone else recently play through II, III or V? Or remember anything about them they really liked?
 
A couple of years ago I did a marathon to see how the series had evolved from game to game myself. I'd recommend playing the NES versions of FFII and FFIII (if you don't mind unofficial sources ahem) if exploring the series from it's beginnings is something you really want to do. The Origins (II) and PSP (III) versions of those titles are almost like different games even if mostly only graphically. The same goes for the SNES and PSP versions of FFIV. Not to say you shouldn't play the more recent versions however, you totally should, I just think at least one playthrough of the original releases is worth a go to get a more accurate feel of how the series was at the time (especially if you've already gotten through the pains of the NES FFI lol).
 
Ahh that is definitely how I would prefer to do it! That’s really good advice because that really is what I was looking for, but I couldn’t find a viable way to play all the games in their original formats. But I admit I could have if I was more committed right? Find a working NES, the carts, a tv that can support it... In the end though, for practicality, I just went with: must be able to play on a full screen tv with a console (not a rom).

I know what you mean about FF I, that was a lesson for them in what to improve 😝

But if you have any specific ways to access the original formats let me know, though I can be lazy about it to a point.
 
DeadRinger said:
Anyone else recently play through II, III or V? Or remember anything about them they really liked?
Click to expand...

I haven’t played FFV recently but I have a lot of good memories of the game. The only version I have played myself is the PSX version released as Final Fantasy Anthology with FFIV (PAL release).

Although the story is fairly simple compared to FFIV and FFVI, I actually really love FFV. It has some really interesting plotlines, characters and amazing music.
The franchise owes a lot to it, in my opinion. We probably wouldn't have Gilgamesh, Brothers and a whole host of monsters which are now FF staples. I feel that the game also helped to define how moogles should behave as a species going forward.

I haven't played the PSN version you have played, however, so I'm not sure how different that experience will have been for you.

Good luck with the rest of your list too! I'm curious to see how you find the other titles as you progress down the list.
 
i always recommend FF3 on the original NES. at least an emulator. i think to truly appreciate the improvements ff3 3D did, need to play it first on NES
 
I saw your most recent update had you saying you completed Final Fantasy V. How’d you like that one? That to me is the game I think is the most underrated in the series. I played it back in college on the PlayStation 1 when Anthology released. I loved it. I was so glad I was able to get around to it before I got super super spoiled with graphics nowadays and never went back to it.
 
Hey Busta,

Haven't checked here in a while but overall I would say I liked FFV. I skipped to it pretty early on here, so I'm only comparing it to FF and FF2. I would say that FFV was the most "fun" of those three so far, but of course it's a SNES game so plenty of advantages there. The sense of adventure and the variety of quests was cooler in 5; the game world felt much larger (and was). It was a brighter, lighthearted game. And what can I say about Gilgamesh. Super cool character that could use more involved appearances; I do not know if he appears in other games but I think I've heard so. The famous job system: I really liked it... for about two thirds of the game. Then I felt it got tedious and superfluous, I mean to totally master all those jobs for multiple characters, when most of the fun was already over. In later games there are enough side quests to occupy me and to disguise the grind, but by the end game of 5 it was just like... why would I? Currently I am playing FF3. As a fan of dedicated jobs (FF7), FF3 seems like a nice middle ground so far. It's a prelude to the jobs of FFV but not as involved.

So, so far: FF2, then FFV close behind, then of course FF at the bottom although it was adorable to see the series's growing pains and many original characters. For whatever reason I loved FF2. I grew up with NES, this game was an amazing epic to put onto that system, and it was a nice package of challenge and entertainment all the way through (though FFV does have the funnest moments/chapters so far). And I thought the final dungeon of 2 was absolutely outstanding for its time, both its physical design and imagined appearance (Pandaemonium). And the story felt a little darker than 5, which I tend to like. We start with being left for dead after soldiers raze our town, then end up fighting a demon that felt truly evil in a grand way. Bad-ass.

I think I'm about halfway through FF3 now, PSP port. Really nice to have some experienced "guides" comment here along the way :-)
 
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