Best ps1 final fantasy?

[zdirty]

Aside from ff7..

I'm looking to play through either ff8 or ff9 but haven't played either. Both got similar reviews. Any opinions?

Oh and I've already played the anthology on snes.

[Ryudo]

IMO FFIX.
It's a tribute to the series from the man himself. Manmy references to earlier games.
Game is full of charm a and a good story.

FFVIII is excellent but IMO FFIX is the best on PSone even over FF7

[SpaceHarrier]

Tactics.

[Drixxel]

Tactics.

I'll do you one better in the violating-the-OP's-criteria game: Chocobo's Mysterious Dungeon.

I'd recommend taking a crack at FFVIII, just to see what you think of it. The Draw and Junction systems are at least unique, if also dividing of opinions.

[RPG_Fanatic]

I would say Final Fantasy 9 just because it went back to it's roots.

[Aussie2B]

I too say Tactics.

[RASK1904]

9.....

[NayusDante]

This is a terrible question because FFVII-IX and Tactics are four very different games, and they all deviate from what had been established as Final Fantasy.

The one that I most enjoyed was VIII, but I say that with reservations because it's the least Final Fantasy out of all of them. I almost wish that it weren't a numbered entry in the series, and instead had been given its own identity.

I view VII as a botched attempt to take the established format into a new console generation. It was relatively great for its time, but the inconsistencies in art style and uneven tone bring it down for me. IX is much more consistent, and sticks to established guidelines of what the series was supposed to be, at least as much as it can while continuing the new direction established by VII and VIII.

Tactics, I never could get into. Some love it, and I understand why, but it just didn't appeal to me.

So while my favorite game in the series during the PSX era is without a doubt VIII, IX is the only real "Final Fantasy" on the platform.

[Jorpho]

Can't say I've played Tactics, unfortunately. But between 7, 8, and 9, I'd definitely go with 9. It's actually kind of unfortunate it relies so heavily on so many of the old established fantasy tropes, or at least appears to; the approach of 7 and 8 is actually kind of refreshing in that regard. But it's also rather more refined than 7, and 8 is just... ugh, to be succinct.

[Genesaturn]

Well said by everyone so far. VII is hands down my fav RPG of all time..and a lot of people seem to always gravitate towards the first FF they played as their fav...(no always, but at least those I have met). VIII isn't bad..but I personally really..really hate the Junction system. IX is awesome..a def throw back to classic FF's. Tactics is completely different and worth enjoying in its own right...same with Mysterious Dungeon...Honestly...for me any FF pre X-2 is worth playing..multiple times.

As for your original question...if you want to go for story and unique systems..VIII will probably be it...but if you loved the original NES/SNES versions then I'd suggest IX...but again...both are worth a play.

[Zama]

Final Fantasy VIII is still one of my favorite PS1 games with Final Fantasy VII right behind it :) Final Fantasy IX is in third place for me though.

[kupomogli]

Every Final Fantasy aside from FF3 and up to FF9 is available on the PSX. So I'd say Tactics, 6, 5, 1, 9, 7, 4, 8, then 2 in that order. Final Fantasy 6 and 5 were some pretty crappy ports due to the load times, but still great games. For those of us in the US, aside from emulation, the only other time we'd be playing FF5 is years later when the GBA version is released.

So if FFTactics counts, it's FFT. If not, then FF6. If based on only new games that haven't been released in this region, so 5, 7, 8, and 9, then FF5. If the choice is only between 7, 8, and 9, then FF9.

[Tokimemofan]

More or less in this order 7, 5, 6, 4, 9, 1, 2, 8. Although it is a tough call for the first 5 in that order 2 and 8 are very hit or miss I loved 2 but I despise 8.

[Wraith Storm]

Final Fantasy VIII by a long shot. It has amazing music, fantastic graphics and characters that I actually cared about. The story, while over the top and completely convoluted, is really really good at its core. The draw system is what makes and breaks the game for most people. It makes battles needlessly long if you run into an enemy that has a new spell. I cant tell you how many time I would put a rubber band around the controller until everyone had drawn their max of a new spell.

FF VIII is an oddball. Its the Phantasy Star III equivalent to the Final Fantasy games. They changed a lot of the mechanics (enemies level up with you, your character levels are practically irrelevant, the junction stat system is very flexible but very time consuming).

FF VIII is a game I hated when I first played it, but then I really got drawn in by its music and it's characters and slowly began to REALLY appreciate the game.

I cannot say the same for FF IX. Apparently I am in the minority here but for me FF IX is one of the worst games I have ever played. The music is horrible, some of Uematsu's worst compositions to date. The characters designs were terrible, I didn't even know what I was looking at half the time. The graphics seemed a step back from FF VIII. The level designs and puzzels were some of the worst in the series.

The story was crap and I hated just about every character in the game. It seemed like every 20 minutes was "group sympathy time" for ViVi. I could go on and on about how they screwed up the simpler mechanics of the game as well, but then I would be here all morning.

I have always used FF IX as a shining example of how not to make a game. In my opinion it is a game that is extremely flawed in just about every area. I played the game through to completion because several of my friends were doing so at the same time as well, however I will NEVER play it again.

[Jorpho]

The story, while over the top and completely convoluted, is really really good at its core.I am baffled as to how you can say that, unless perhaps you have an overactive imagination that is fervently filling in bits that don't exist.

Whee, debates over Final Fantasy! The Internet has surely never seen such fresh and inspired dialog!

[wingzrow]

Main series? 9 for sure.

[zdirty]

I've played ff7 and I loved it. I went back to the snes to play ff2 and ff3, both were great. I'm finishing up with chrono trigger now and I was thinking ff8 or ff9 would be a comparable choice to play next. I'm not sure how I feel about the junction system, so it might be ff9. I do kinda like how it goes back to the roots and will fit better with the fact that I've been playing the older classic games.

I'm really looking for an engaging story with gameplay that sorta follows along how the others played.

thanks for all the input!

[NayusDante]

I'm really looking for an engaging story with gameplay that sorta follows along how the others played.

Sounds like you want IV, V, VI, and to a lesser extent, IX. The stories are coherent and the gameplay is pretty solid.

VIII is only engaging if you interpret the plot as something deeper than what it appears to be and manage to put up with the many flaws of the junction system. I didn't really get it until I put the pieces in a different order. I'm not talking about the "Squall is dead" theory. I've found that the story makes the most sense if you view everything before the ending as a sequence of events shown from Squall's flawed perspective as he attempts to find himself and return to reality.

I, II, and III are about the gameplay first and stories second.

[zdirty]

Sounds like you want IV, V, VI, and to a lesser extent, IX. The stories are coherent and the gameplay is pretty solid.

VIII is only engaging if you interpret the plot as something deeper than what it appears to be and manage to put up with the many flaws of the junction system. I didn't really get it until I put the pieces in a different order. I'm not talking about the "Squall is dead" theory. I've found that the story makes the most sense if you view everything before the ending as a sequence of events shown from Squall's flawed perspective as he attempts to find himself and return to reality.

I, II, and III are about the gameplay first and stories second.



I'm not too much into the nes versions, so 1 and 2 are out. I've played 6 and 5? whatever ff2 and ff3 for ntsc snes are I always mix them up. so I guess 9 is what I'm looking at. most of the responses here are either tactics, 8, or 9, and based on the details 9 looks like I'd be more into.

[Wraith Storm]

I am baffled as to how you can say that, unless perhaps you have an overactive imagination that is fervently filling in bits that don't exist.

I'm not sure what your getting at.
As I stated, the overall story is over the top and is very convoluted and confusing. However, that didn't stop the game from having a slew of well written, well directed, and very moving and touching scenes for me. These scenes were only made better by the fact that I actually cared about the characters in them.

I cannot say anything similar about FF IX.
I was so excited about FF IX when it came out because I heard it was a tribute to the earlier games in the series. A return to form. But really, beyond a few references it plays nothing like the originals and certainly looks nothing like the originals. So Garnet wears a classic White mage robe for a few minutes, Vivi looks like a classic black mage, Freya wears a Red mage type outfit, there is a character named Garland and oh yeah they shoehorn a crystal in at the very end.

The game felt like they had originally made it as something different and then at the last minute said "Hey! Throw in a few references the the original games and we'll market it as a tribute." regardless that it doesn't look, play or feel like them.

As I stated in my original post... I know i'm in the minority here, I am with most of my opinions, but that doesn't change the way I feel.

[Red Earth]

i guess 'best' is always a matter of opinion, but i think FF8 had the best music of the ps1 games.

[Taiyaki]

I'm a big fan of the classics, being the 6 first with IV as my favorite. But regarding the PSX titles I think VIII is highly under appreciated, VII is classic but sometimes gets too much praise.

[LaughingMAN.S9]

honestly, even tho it kind of gets a bad wrap among fans, i personally feel ffviii is the only one that even comes close to capturing what i felt in 7, honestly the only complaint i can level against it is the entire laguna garbage, i really wish they just left that on the cutting room floor and just dealt with the main story at hand


lol people complain and complain about the combat how it sucks that enemies level with you making grinding pointless and the whole gf junctioning thing, but i found out early on that you can abuse this system to effectively break the game and make combat a breeze, lol i dont know how other ppl feel about this, but honestly combat is my least favorite thing in rpgs, so if i can find a way around that im all for it



if you want to expand outside of the numbered series then easily final fantasy tactics is probably the best game in the final fantasy family from a story perspective, i loved it, its really the antithesis to final fantasy 9, where 9 was a more lighthearted affair, and really cute and charming, tactics is pretty fucking grim and dark, its really fucking mature as far as content and subject matter go, if thats your bag, then this is definitely something to look into



my order goes, 7, tactics, 8, 9=6 and never really played the other ones 4&5 plus origins even tho i have them all :(

[PresidentLeever]

9 has a more tolerable story, a fantasy setting and the characters are more like in the earlier titles (specialized in battle, one-sided and extrovert), but the battles are much slower and the card game (introduced in 8) is more complex and doesn't have any meaningful tie to gameplay. 8 is futuristic, more experimental gameplay-wise and the characters will probably get on your nerves at times. If you choose to play 8, pay attention during the boring tutorials and try not to grind (draw/refine in this case) too much if you don't want to ruin the challenge.

[Colorado Rockies]

1. Final Fantasy Tactics
2. FFIX
3. FFVII
4. FFVIII

[Jorpho]

As I stated, the overall story is over the top and is very convoluted and confusing. However, that didn't stop the game from having a slew of well written, well directed, and very moving and touching scenes for me. These scenes were only made better by the fact that I actually cared about the characters in them.Whoa, hold it. You said "the story is really really good at its core", and now you're saying it has a slew of "scenes" that you really like? That seems to be the opposite of "good at the core".


I was so excited about FF IX when it came out because I heard it was a tribute to the earlier games in the series.Well, I heard very little about it and had no expectations. I say, if anyone thinks advance marketing and hype is ruining your gaming experiences, stop paying attention to the hype!