final fantasy feeeeeels

[queenlua]

While I'm still deeply saddened that I was not able to do Final Fantasy Exchange this year (having looked back at how busy I was with random garbage for the past three months, I'm quite certain trying to do the exchange on top of it would have actually killed me), I am delighted that fics have been posted, and look at it oh my God so much fic eee. To make up for not writing anything, I'm attempting to leave comments on as many fics as I know the canon for which isn't that many and also I'm the slowest commenter ever so this is taking some time but whatever.

Improbably, this has put me in a let's-play-Final-Fantasy mood for the first time in years, which is rather inconvenient timing considering Assassin's Creed 4 was just heating up yesterday, but it's not like I sleep anyway amirite. Currently waffling between options (a) replay Final Fantasy VIII, because of all the FFs I've played, it's probably the one that my memories are fuzziest about probably because 90% of my experience of it was watching my brother draw 999,999,999 Ultimas or whatever, also Triple Triad, (b) finally play Final Fantasy IV (hi Raphi), or (c) take a stab at FFV, even though I know basically nothing about it except "there's an evil tree" and "I really like the soundtrack" and "no you don't understand I will play basically anything if I like the soundtrack."

Alternatively I guess I could get with all the cool kids and try out the FFX remaster but I just played that game like a year ago. (Speedran it, really, with a good friend, getting zero sleep and drinking nonzero quantities of alcohol and I have some good drinking games but I digress.)

what choose, how do

Comments

[raphiael]

/shouts predictably about FFIV (what version are you thinking of playing?) I should add that I looooooooooooove IV, but it's very much an early 90s jrpg, in that things get pretty repetitive and the random encounters will eventually make you want to throw it out a window. The DS version is a little better about that, but it also cuts some things I really like. The PSP and GBA versions are faithful to the original with some added A+ things, but still have the random encounter issues.

FFV is really... lighthearted? I think that's the word I'd use. It doesn't take itself seriously almost ever, and that's kind of refreshing, especially right between the super-self-serious IV and VI. It's fun, but I tend to lose attention span for it.

On the other hand, breaking VIII is a lot of fun. It's good that I love Triple Triad, because so much triple triad oh god.

wait i don't actually have an FF-themed icon what the hell

[queenlua]

true story: i've played ff8 three times, except the second and third times i just got stuck halfway through playing triple triad and then i couldn't be assed to progress any further because cards

and i like lighthearted! whimsy is fun. not sure if i want the lighthearded FF or not, maybe my mind will make itself up tomorrow

if i play ff4 i was planning to emulate it so i can run it at 4x speed or whatever in the event of grind :P probably GBA or SNES emulation for maximum faithfulness

Re: wait i don't actually have an FF-themed icon what the hell

[raphiael]

Go with the GBA version for sure. The original SNES version's translation takes out a lot of important stuff, including at least one bit of info that makes one battle in the game impossible to know what you're supposed to do.

ugh card queen, especially when she uses those terribad rules with the random selections from your deck, nnnnope

Re: wait i don't actually have an FF-themed icon what the hell

[queenlua]

ah, good to know about the gba version (though i must say, it isn't a REAL jrpg unless there's at least ONE boss battle that basically necessitates the use of gamefaqs :P )

[blankspectrum]

VIII is my favorite. I'm still mad that the HD remake isn't Mac-compatible. (And omg triple triad. I think that's why it took me so long to get through the game. I just kept playing it, and playing it....)

I think IV's story is really good, and definitely one of the standouts out of the FF games I've played. (Fwiw I've only played 1 through 8.) I actually feel about V how you feel about VIII... I barely remember it at all, possibly because I played 1-6 all in order and it was really overshadowed by both IV and VI, imo.

Somewhat related kind of, I always think that I wouldn't enjoy actually playing or replaying a lot of older RPGs now because I'd have no patience for the repetitive battles, but I've been replaying Chrono Trigger recently (albeit very slowly), and I'm surprised at how little I've minded that part of it. (And I'm thrilled that it's still just as wonderful as I remembered. :-P)

[queenlua]

actually i read some blog entry someplace a while ago where someone asserted that ff8 is the most persona-esque final fantasy game. harbinger for your present, perhaps? :P

HEY LILY IF YOU PLAY 9 THEN YOU WILL HAVE PLAYED *NINE* CONSECUTIVE FINAL FANTASIES WHICH IS WAY MORE THAN EIGHT AND THUS YOU SHOULD DO IT /persuasion /bias /etc

and ahhh, i remember you saying you were thinking of replaying CT, glad you got to it! fucking love the chrono games, like goddamn, fangirl to me about it any time yo

[blankspectrum]

... that is the weirdest comparison that I never would have thought of, but you know, it actually makes some sense. Especially mechanically, now that I consider it.

Ahaha I really should play 9 and 10 sometime. I actually have copies of both of them too, I believe (I definitely have 10, though I'm pretty sure I have 9 as well)... I just never got around to playing either one...

As for CT, I don't know how I forgot how good the music was because everyone (including me) always talks about how good the music is, but omg the music is so good /jams out to robo's theme

[branfordtough]

Since you've already played FFVIII a few times, that narrows down my recs to FFIV and FFV. Raphi already sang FFIV's praises, so I'll just chip in and say that the random encounters really do get kind of ridiculous. It also shares the dubious honor of "I got so bored and fed up with the damn game that I quit halfway through the final dungeon and haven't touched it since" with Knights of the Old Republic 2, if that helps. I would just watch an LP or something if you really want to get into FFIV things.

On the FFV side, it really is lighthearted in a way that none of the other main series games really manage. The game doesn't take itself very seriously. It also has really fun gameplay.

If you're looking for a super engrossing story...well, none of your prospective titles are really ones I'd recommend on that score. Maybe you should stick with Asscreed 4!