Does Final Fantasy Overshadow other RPG's

[Dreddz]

Dunno what topic this should go in but whatever.
Im a big fan of FF ( final fantasy not Fatal Fury Joel ) and when I purchase another RPG.Even though I dont think about it im always comparing it to FF.If FF does something better than say Grandia then I think of the game as bad.FF is just so good!
Does anyone agree with me or am I just weird?

[Doc Sark]

It's ok to prefer one series of games over another. Personally, while I think as a RPG series, Final Fantasy is the strongest, there are individual RPG's which stand head and shoulders over some Final Fantasy games, for me anyway. Shadow Hearts is my favourite RPG ever, I enjoyed Star Ocean 2 and am thoroughly enjoying 3, Bahamut's Lagoon is another favourite of mine aswell as Chronotrigger.

The problem for me with new FF games, is that my expectancy level when it comes to a new game, is so high, I am sometimes disappointed. For example FFIX, I thought it was ok but by the time I had finished 6,7 and 8, I was expecting so much more.

By the way, I don't think you're weird.

[Camanche]

This used to be a big problem for me. FFVII was my first game on the Playstation, not to mention, first RPG, so I was almost completely oblivious to other RPG's.

Once I started signing up to, and became part of gaming communities on various forums, I got recommendations to many other excellent RPG games and series.

In NA at least, I do believe FF overshadows other RPGs if you ask the average gamer. I think they are good games, yes, but I have been finding ones that I like a lot better than FF now. It is all a matter of perspective. If you've grown up with FF, it becomes your 'holy grail' of RPG's, and you judge everything off it. As you get older, and start trying other games, you will probably start to see that FF is not bad at all, but it certainly is not the best in every aspect.

After so many years playing mostly FF when it comes to the RPG genre, I think I've become a little tired of it. That is why I am so thankful for the break between FFX (I will not count X-2 here.) and FFXII. I didn't get XI, and am glad I didn't because it gave me the chance to buy and try out some other RPG series, and boy, am I glad I did.

Not only that, because of the long break, my idealism of what a FF game should be has disappeared, leaving me ready to be impressed all over again by XII hopefully.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

More often than not, games get what they deserve. Final Fantasy doesn't overshadow anything.

[Levian]

Final Fantasy is far superior anyway, at least during the golden days, which imho has ended.

[edczxcvbnm]

I don't think it over shadows other RPGs at all. In fact I find a lot of other RPGs to be better than FF games. Tales is one example of a series that I find to be more fun and better in many ways. FF is a series with a lot more misses than hits for me so I use it as the average game to compare others to. The series is not anything special to me...just average.

[Erdrick Holmes]

It's not just that it overshadows other things, but a majority of FF fanboys have tunnel vision. They refuse to acknowledge that there are other RPGs out there. I mean look at Suikoden, such an awesome RPG series but it is dangerously ignored, same thing with Shining Force or Phantasy Star.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

And just as many people think Final Fantasy sucks.

[edczxcvbnm]

It doesn't suck. It just is hit and miss. Some are really great but others are just as great...but in the opposite direction of good. Then there is the technology gap that makes certain games really hard to play such as FFIII. The classes in that game were annoying because of certain things for equipment and blah blah blah.

Like I said. Hit and Miss. The series as a whole appeals to just about everyone and there should be at least 1 game in the series that someone will like.

[-N-]

There are some FFs that are good and some that are not so good. But of course, which ones change depend on who you talk to. I think the series is the most recognizable of RPGs simply due to its extensive success, the movie that was made (flop or not, it still got coverage).

Regardless, my favorite RPG all else considered is still FFVII, and others from the series still rank pretty high up there in my list of good RPGs. But I agree that playing FFs does develop a kind of tunnel vision in most people, that once they've experienced FF they don't need to play other RPGs because they already have the best possible feel of the genre.

[Bernhard]

I don't think it over shadows other RPGs at all. In fact I find a lot of other RPGs to be better than FF games.

[MecaKane]

It's Konami's fault no one knows what Suikoden is, not Final Fantasy's. Would anyone really give this (http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00002STPG.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg) a chance? I don't know what kind of promotion 2 got, but 3 certainly didn't much at all, they're only now trying to promote 4.
I don't really compare Final Fantasys to other games, unless they have very simlilar game play, like Tenchi Myo RPG and Tactics. :D

[Camanche]

It's Konami's fault no one knows what Suikoden is, not Final Fantasy's. Would anyone really give this (http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00002STPG.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg) a chance?

Wow, that looks uber-cheesy. Can't say I would unless someone went out of their way to show me that it was a good game.

[Levian]

It's not just that it overshadows other things, but a majority of FF fanboys have tunnel vision. They refuse to acknowledge that there are other RPGs out there. I mean look at Suikoden, such an awesome RPG series but it is dangerously ignored, same thing with Shining Force or Phantasy Star.

Pfft, those games haven't even been released in my continent, while FF has, so those are easy to overshadow. I guess it has something to do with publicity, and of course Quality, RPG's has a tendency to be quite boring, in my opinion. Credits to Squaresoft for not making boring games.

[mihalis]

Hey, if I weren't a fan of Final Fantasy, I probably wouldn't post on this forum, much less be making a PC remake of the original FF-I. Final Fantasy was not my first RPG (mine was 'Legacy of the Ancients' for the C-64.... REALLY old school, heh). That being said, while I like the new Final Fantasy games, I like it when they keep it rather simple--the fancy graphics and long movies seem to take away from the gameplay for me. I like the old birds-eye view of the map, lots of freedom about where to go next, and a pretty non-linear game overall. ;o)

I completely understand about comparing other games to your first RPG...
Oh, and I've played Grandia as well... I was not impressed! ;o)

P.S. I suggest you try the Dragonquest/Dragon Warrior series if you like FF... it will keep you busy for a very long time!

[Rase]

As a whole, there are enough great FF's to overrule the not as greats, in my opinion. However, I think I prefer at least two Tales of game (Phantasia and Symphonia) to a large majority of FInal Fantasy's.

[Del Murder]

I'd say FF is king, in this country at least, and all other RPGs are going to be compared with this series. I'm certainly guilty of it. But in Japan I'm not so sure. Dragon Quest is really popular over there, among others. Is FF as overpowering there too?

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

FF's popularity in Japan is similar to its popularity here. It's just that Japan loves Dragon Quest that much more.

[Project G]

It does overshadow other RPGs, just look at The Third Age, it was basically a copy of FFX but with lord of the rings characters

[MecaKane]

So Frodo's from a Shire 1000 years in the past? :eek:

[Dreddz]

Recently many games have copied final fantasy in many ways.
Then I compare them.Say a game had the same battle system as FF.
Id then compare it to FF.Most FF clones really arent as good as FF anyway.But games that do something different to the genre and had no resemberlance to FF. I wouldnt really compare and games like those usally are good or even better than FF.
Like Alundra or Dark Cloud or sumin
Although Alundra copied Zelda alot but I dont really care cause I havent played the Zelda series properly anyway

[Project G]

So Frodo's from a Shire 1000 years in the past? :eek:

not the story line, the atb system and the abilities and stuff

[Destai]

I think the main feature of RPG's is the storyline. The type of battle system etc. is just added in so you can call it a game.

[crazybayman]

It's not just that it overshadows other things, but a majority of FF fanboys have tunnel vision. They refuse to acknowledge that there are other RPGs out there. I mean look at Suikoden, such an awesome RPG series but it is dangerously ignored, same thing with Shining Force or Phantasy Star.

You got a point there.

I know that I personally am guilty of having FF Tunnel vision. But tell me this: What other RPG's are out there, that are on par with FF VII, VIII and X, that are not ridicoulously cartoonish, or childish.

I tried Arc the Lad, and it is just low quality in my opinion, the battle system is terrible, and the weapons upgrading system is stupid. I thought the latest Star Ocean would be good, but it is ridicoulously cartoonish and cheesy, and the enemies you fight put me in mind of something from the 8-bit NES.

From looking at Dragon Quest (Dragon Warrior) for PS2 , it looks really cartoonish as well. And from screen shots, it seems like Suikoden is cartoonish too. The Third Age is pretty good, because of the same battle system as FFX, but it just seems to follow the movies, so there's not much in the way of an original plot.

I remember back in the NES 8-bit days, there was Final Fantasy, as well as other games like Destiny of an Emperor, Ultima Quest of the Avatar (or something like that), and the Dragon Warrior series, which were all good as far as the NES went. However DW 1 was a bit primitive and boring because it took you forever to level up so you could advance in the game. I didn't play DW 2 or 3, but DW 4 was awesome (in the day of 8-bit NES).

So what IS out there, in an RPG for the PS2 that isn't cartoonish, cheesy, or childish, that can compare to FF, with a similar battle system? Can someone enlighten me?

Sorry for the length of this post.

Crazy Bayman.

[Dreddz]

Not alot of decent PS2 RPG'S out to me that arent cartoonish or cheesy
Theres Shadow Hearts which I dont like very much but some like it.
Dark Chronicle is the best RPG on the PS2 to me. Alot better than FFX or FFX-2.
But however its very cartoonish and I think they tried to make it that way. But the story is very complex and is rather adult.
If you can pass the kiddie looks then this is essential.
Lasted me 90 hours!

[Destai]

Im sure it overshadows other RPG's.

[Raistlin]

In the US as a whole? Definitely, unfortunately.

To me? Absolutely not. The Suikoden series is many times better than the FF series. The first three games in the series are better than anything FF has to offer, with the sole possible exception of FFT.

[Alder]

Final Fantasy is far superior anyway, at least during the golden days, which imho has ended.

Exactly my thoughts... Final Fantasy definitely overshadowed other RPGs back in the day. Back when Final Fantasy VI came out, there was no other game in the world that compared. But Final Fantasy has become more like other games, and other games have become more like Final Fantasy. I don't think the series stands out like it used to.

[nik0tine]

The only RPG's I have really played is the FF series. Ive played some of Squares other RPG's and for the most part the are great. Nothing else that I have played or seen compares to what square has done with FF and it's other RPG's (Xenogears). I am currently playing Xenosaga and it is coming close though.

[Erdrick Holmes]

Do yourselvs a favour. Play Phantasy Star II and IV. Best RPGs I'd ever played.