Final Fantasy Confusion in Off Topic

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ID:181398
 
Aug 12 2010, 1:24 pm
Hello all,

I'd like to clear some stuff up for myself. I've decided to get into Final Fantasy (yeah I know I'm a bit late) and thought it'd be best to play them from the first to the newest. The first two I will be getting for the Wii Virtual Console, so that's no problem.

Is the 3rd one only in Japanese? It came out for the Wii Virtual Console but that's only available to the Japan area. Is there any way to get it in English whether it be virtual or physical?

How can I get IV, V, and VI? I found IV on eBay but it says Final Fantasy Chronicles. Is that normal? I'm not sure about the other ones but if someone can let me know how I can get a hold of them that' be great.

I can get FFVII - FFIX on PSone Classics on my PS3 so that is good to go as well. The rest I will buy physical copies for the PS2 and the latest ones for the PS3.

Thank you all for your time.
#1 Aug 12 2010, 1:39 pm
I wouldn't waste my time with the newest Final Fantasy, it was horrible.
#2 Aug 12 2010, 1:51 pm
In response to Ham Doctor (#1)
Why? I heard the music and graphics are both spectacular and the only major downside is the fact that it's very linear and doesn't let you explore much. That much is fine with me.
#3 Aug 12 2010, 2:44 pm
In response to Ham Doctor (#1)
Try saying why it's terrible, because that came off as "I hate new FFs for the sake of them being new. Retro for teh weenz!!!!!!", and I know that wasn't the intention.

Final Fantasy 3 (NES) was japanese only. Final Fantasy 2 (NES) also was but we've (the US) have gotten fourty-billion remakes of it. Final Fantasy V (SNES) was japanese-only and there's a bad PS1 port with a terrible translation/loading time/buggy saving menus, and there's the really cool GBA port.

FF1 and 2 - on GBA, same cart
FF3 - DS remake
FF4-6 - also on GBA, different carts, definitive versions imo
#4 Aug 12 2010, 3:56 pm
To elaborate a little bit on Moonlight's reply, I'll go over each of the FF games up until the naming conventions started matching up (meaning the Japanese version and the North American versions have the same number).


Final Fantasy -- Released in both formats for the NES/Famicom

Final Fantasy II -- Released in Japan only in its original format. Has been remade various times, but never ported in its original form.

Final Fantasy III -- Also released in Japan only, I believe there's been a remake or two, but I'm not positive, I prefer the fan-translated original.

Final Fantasy IV -- Also known as Final Fantasy II in North America, the reason for this is because the previous two games weren't released and this was the second game of the series in North America. Didn't start confusing people much until Final Fantasy VII.

Final Fantasy V -- Another Japan-only release (and one of the best in the series in my opinion), it has been remade and ported a few times but nothing has come close to working as well as the original. All I've seen are issues from the remakes.

Final Fantasy VI -- Also known as Final Fantasy III in the US for the same reasons as FFIV. This is considered one of the best games in the series and one of the best games made for the SNES. It used accelerated graphics and Mode 7, it was really the top of the SNES era (as it was released around the same time the next-gen consoles were coming out).


After this they started giving the games the same number across all markets to avoid future confusion from people. (While ironically confusing people who had played earlier games in the series and were unaware of the numbering differences)

The only FFIII you're gonna see on Virtual Console is the US release, which would be FFVI, Square-Enix has already said they have no intention of re-releasing the original games to markets they weren't released to in the first place. It may change in the future, but I doubt it.

You can however, get them in Virtual Console form elsewhere, but that's going outside of legal usage of the system.
#5 Aug 12 2010, 4:08 pm (Edited on Aug 12 2010, 4:22 pm)
In response to DisturbedSixx (#2)
There's really no reason to play the FF games in any specific order. The stories aren't linked, and aside from the graphics, none of the systems ever really improve, they simply change to offer different gameplay.

As for FF13 sucking. Yes, it did, very badly. The music was OK, the graphics were pretty good, but if that's all you're playing games for then you shouldn't be playing games. Go buy a CD and poster. 13 has the worst battle system since 3 (the DS remake of 3 at least), the story telling is horrible in almost every way. The "classes" are not only poorly designed, but are ridiculously named after nothing to do with FF lore. Commando and Medic? Really? Am I playing FF: Modern Warfare? I could go on, but lets just settle at everything in that game being garbage. I'm hoping versus 13 doesn't disappoint.

I can recommend playing FFs 7 8 and 10. And Tactics if you're in the mood for an RPG of that style.
#6 Aug 12 2010, 4:28 pm
In response to Falacy (#5)
13 is absolute garbage because you say so (again, your name really lives up to how you act) and we're forced to agree, but 7 is a "recommended play"?
#7 Aug 12 2010, 4:30 pm
In response to Moonlight Memento (#6)
Moonlight Memento wrote:
13 is absolute garbage because you say so (again, your name really lives up to how you act) and we're forced to agree,

How are you forced to agree? I'm not really sure what your problem is with me, or why you keep pointlessly flaming me, but its getting rather annoying.

but 7 is a "recommended play"?

Yes? 7 was a great game. The 2nd great RPG/game I ever played. And is almost entirely responsible for getting me into gaming.
#8 Aug 12 2010, 4:34 pm
In response to Falacy (#7)
"I could go on, but lets just settle at everything in that game being garbage. I'm hoping versus 13 doesn't disappoint." - Quoted from you. You're saying we have to agree with you because you're right. Also, learn what flaming is.

If FF7 is the second greatest RPG you've ever played I dare say I do not want to know the first or anyother games in that list because it's probably [insert generic overpopular game like FF7].
#9 Aug 12 2010, 4:39 pm
In response to Moonlight Memento (#8)
Moonlight Memento wrote:
You're saying we have to agree with you because you're right.

I'm not saying you have to agree with me at all. I listed several reasons why the game sucked, and instead of writing an entire book about it, I summed up by simply saying EVERYTHING did. Feel free to disagree if you have any actual points to make. Instead of these responses that have no content, just pointlessly unfounded arguments of wrongful fail.

If FF7 is the second greatest RPG you've ever played I dare say I do not want to know the first or anyother games in that list because it's probably [insert generic overpopular game like FF7].

I didn't say it was the 2nd greatEST RPG I've ever played. I said it was the 2nd great one, meaning, there was 1 RPG that I had played before it that was also great. At the time it came out FF7 was by far the best RPG created in pretty much every category.
#10 Aug 12 2010, 4:58 pm
In response to Falacy (#9)
At the time it came out FF7 was by far the best RPG created in pretty much every category.
Biased. That's all I have to say. How come disagreement with you is a "pointless flame-filled argument"? But if you disagree with someone it's fact?
#11 Aug 12 2010, 5:21 pm
In response to Moonlight Memento (#10)
Moonlight Memento wrote:
Biased. That's all I have to say.

Graphics were great in both style and quality for their time and are pretty easy to compare, the soundtrack is still loved today, the story was great and longer than most other games, the systems in the game were impressively polished and full of depth, there were side quests, mini-games, and countless other things to explore, etc etc etc.
Not liking FF7 can only mean one of two things. You never played it at all, and base your opinion on what you've heard around the internet. Or you only attempted to play it years after its release, and quit playing after 5 minutes because the graphics weren't up to par with your latest PS3 game. Especially Since you haven't given 1 reason why its bad (or why 13 is for that matter)...

How come disagreement with you is a "pointless flame-filled argument"? But if you disagree with someone it's fact?

Because I provide counter arguments and facts for why things are wrong. Unlike you, whose posts equate to "YOU ARE WRONG"
#12 Aug 12 2010, 5:40 pm
In response to Falacy (#11)
I have played FF7, actually. Good sleep aid, or migraine inducer. SNES games looked way better and (probably) had better soundtracks. And the battle system (minus the Materia system) was the same, generic ATB system FF loves to use.

I still play NES games constantly, outdated graphics aren't a problem it's when they look worse then what they're supposed to be improving on. You simply stated several blanket statements on why 13 is bad "gameplay sucked (Without a single reason why, hence the fallacy), story telling sucked (read previous) and the job names were terrible (even though it's obvious what did what, you just wanted to nitpick)". Yeah, details all over THAT one. </sarcasm>
#13 Aug 12 2010, 5:52 pm
In response to Moonlight Memento (#3)
Wow people have been complaining a lot lately.

Final Fantasy 13 looked good and I'll admit that. But that is all it had going for itself. The music and sound effects are nothing more then your generic run of the mill RPG graphics. I wouldn't be surprised if Square has a bag full of RPG music somewhere.

The characters were boring, none of them interested me. I had no need or drive to get to know or learn about any of the characters.

Not only that, but the game follows the same old, tired and true, "Save the World" plot. While this wouldn't be so bad, the game insults the players intelligence by just shoving it in your face. There is nothing leading up to this revelation. Literally one second your fighting monsters, the next second there is a fight scene where the characters come to the realization they have to save the world.

I hate the combat system they have in play. Basically you have a main character and then sub-characters. You only get to control the main character and the rest of the sub-characters run on artificial intelligence. You simply choose from AI options when in a fight. I hate this.

The orb leveling system is unnecessary and I hate it. There are times when you can "level-up" and not get anything at all. While other times you can end up hitting a streak and getting a ton of stuff. I never liked this system ever since 10, but they have since then taken it and made it more terrible.

The first few hours of the game is the games tutorial. I don't know how or why Square thought this would be OK. They must have been high.

You access "online stores" through save points in the game and in order to access more inventory you need to discover more shops. Another thing I dislike.

The game feels horribly linear. Dungeons literally feel like I am playing a old-school version of Crash Bandicoot on the PSX.
#14 Aug 12 2010, 6:03 pm
In response to Moonlight Memento (#12)
Moonlight Memento wrote:
I have played FF7, actually. Good sleep aid, or migraine inducer.

Sounds like you played for 5 minutes.

SNES games looked way better and (probably) had better soundtracks.

"3D" games on the SNES looked like crap. The backgrounds in FF7 were pre-rendered and looked quite nice. And the battle and FMV graphics were more than impressive for the PS1.

And the battle system (minus the Materia system) was the same, generic ATB system FF loves to use.

Pretty sure FF6 was the first FF game to use the ATB gauge. And the materia system was one of the biggest depth points in FF7, more expansive than 90% of the games released since.

outdated graphics aren't a problem it's when they look worse then what they're supposed to be improving on.

FF6: http://www.janaiblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/ ffvi_atma_weapon.jpg
FF7: http://fem1.uniag.sk/Miroslav.Jezik/ff7/samples/ ffVII_4_after.jpg
I'll opt for ff7, thanks.

Yeah, details all over THAT one. </sarcasm>

More details than the 0 you had provided, yes.
The battle system has no possible strategy to it, you can't actively manage your team in it, you can only control a single character (which is the cause of multiple problems). The entirety of the battle system involved pressing x twice every 10 seconds. And on occasion pressing L1 to swap classes to heal - then swap back to tapping x.
The story isn't greatly written, the characters aren't great, the voice acting is acceptable at best - most of the actors sound like they're trying way too hard, the way they tell it is horrible, it cuts between story sections every 2 seconds, at points that make no sense, and to make it worse it changes all your character settings when it does. 30 hours in to the game and the characters still had no goal or clue of where they were going. If the world wasn't a perfectly linear path they all would have been hopelessly lost.
The equipment system completely lacks any depth, though weapon equipment changes do at least show on your character.
The only good thing about FF13 is how fancy the HUD/Menu systems are graphically.

the job names were terrible (even though it's obvious what did what, you just wanted to nitpick)

Its obvious that a commando boosts the teams combo timer? That a ravager is a mage (who look like they're tossing magical grenades)? Medic I'll give you, but the rest are barely descriptive. And I have a bigger problem that they suck the game dry even more of its FF lore than the fact that they're just ridiculous names to begin with.
#15 Aug 12 2010, 6:07 pm
In response to Falacy (#14)
Not 5 minutes, no. What, I have to beat the game to have an opinion of it? Or is it that if you play any longer it has to be great?

2D on the SNES looked way way better than FF7 ever could hope to try and manage.

Pretty sure FF6 was the first FF game to use the ATB gauge.
Just go away... please. You try to act like you know what you're saying, but you say something like that when it's known to be wrong?

More details than the 0 you had provided, yes.
Prove it, because I've been bringing up valid points and proving you wrong/putting you in your place the whole time.
#16 Aug 12 2010, 6:13 pm (Edited on Aug 12 2010, 6:26 pm)
In response to Moonlight Memento (#15)
Moonlight Memento wrote:
I have to beat the game to have an opinion of it?

Yes, you have to beat a game to give a proper opinion/review of it. "THE TUTORIAL SUCKED! I HATE THIS GAME" good for you, but a pretty worthless review/opinion for the rest of us.

Just go away... please. You try to act like you know what you're saying, but you say something like that when it's known to be wrong?

Ah yes, you may be right, for once. What was it? 4? And not all of them use an ATB though. 10 (or maybe 12) was my favorite FF battle system, and wasn't ATB based.

Prove it, because I've been bringing up valid points and proving you wrong/putting you in your place the whole time.

Sorry pal, the only time you've ever come close to doing that was with the ATB correction you just made.
#17 Aug 12 2010, 6:22 pm
In response to Falacy (#16)
Do you enjoy being an ego maniac? You can never be wrong, no one else can ever be right, there's no point to life, you are the perfect being.
#18 Aug 12 2010, 6:23 pm
In response to Moonlight Memento (#17)
Moonlight Memento wrote:
Do you enjoy being an ego maniac? You can never be wrong, no one else can ever be right, there's no point to life, you are the perfect being.

Yes, that's why I said you were right in my previous post for correcting my ATB comment, because I can never be wrong. Good job winning at life.
#19 Aug 12 2010, 6:28 pm
In response to Falacy (#18)
Ah yes, you may be right, for once.
No, you didn't want to ADMIT it because you said "may be right" then you had to throw your typical egotistical "for once" remark there.
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