Which Final Fantasy has the best battle system?

[Pyroteq]

Ok guys (and gals), in your opinion, which Final Fantasy do you think had the best battle system?

EDIT - Skills/abilities/EXP/Battles - Any gameplay related features - Sorry for confusion ;)

Me personally? I don't really have a straight answer. (Keep in mind I've played abit of 5, 6 and 10 finished 7 and 8 and half way through 9)

I liked the way you could level up your GF in FF8, but I hated the way you had to draw magic from enemies to junction to your stats, especially trying to find magic such as Ultima. Basically, barely ever used magic after 2nd disc, because everytime I used magic my stats would go down! Stupid IMO.

Now onto FF9 which I'm currently playing. Hmm, dunno really. Sometimes it's annoying when you don't have the character you want, say you want someone who can heal, but you don't get Eiko or Dagger in your party. Also, getting AP for items is EXTREMELY time consuming. I've been playing for 38hrs and I'm on the 3rd disc, I'd say at least 12hrs has been me running around trying to get AP for all my items I get and I haven't even learnt half the abilities yet! As far as I know, summons aren't a very big part of FF9, the animations are alot shorter than FF8 (which is kind of a good thing I guess, as sometimes I wished I could skip the scenes during a battle in FF8, but it would have been cool to at least see a longer intro the 1st time you used the summon - Doesn't FF10 do this?)

FF7. This was actually very similar to FF9, but I liked it a whole lot better. Reason? Because you didn't have to teach every single character the same damn abilities! Just give them the item and it carries the exp. You could give any character whatever you wanted and you had alot more freedom to create a magical character, a physical character or a balanced character.

From what I've played of FF10, the battle system is very complicated with that giant grid with the stones. I've only played it for an hour or 2 at a friends house, but it seemed pretty tricky to learn. Something that puts me off is the fact that if you make a mistake in what abilities you teach your character it seems that it would be extremely difficult to turn back, so you'd have to make all your decisions for a powerful character very carefully. I don't really like the summons in FF10 from what I've seen. I preferred it when they came down FF8 with a 10 min intro (lol) and then dished out some major damage

From what I've played of FF5 it has my favourite battle system, allowing you to create your own type of character. The jobs system =). I reckon FF9 is basically a mix between FF5 and FF7, but each character is already assigned a job and instead of getting AP for the job, you get AP for the items instead. Haven't played enough of FF5 to get to summons so I can't really comment.

What I'd like to see in one of the upcoming FF games is a mix between FF5's battle system and FF8's GF system. FF8 also had a really good weapon system IMO, there weren't many, but you had to collect material for them and each weapon was quite alot stronger than the previous, and how each new weapon granted you a new Limit Break. Perhaps GF's would grant you skills instead of items, and you would gain AP for your GF to grant you new skills or something? I'd also like to see a bigger emphasis on elemental powers in the next FF. Like in Pokemon Grass > Water
Water > Fire
Stuff like that. It already exisits now, but I don't think there's enough depth involved. I mean, in FF9, basically whatever is strong against something is also weak against it :s

[Dell]

FFIX is following IV. Good game.

I like XII Battle System, Active Dimension Battle, that way, I don't have to wait for the battle screen to appear. But sadly, FFXII is way too hard!!!

[BardTard]

I like FFX's battle system the best, but I like the dresspheres in FFX-2.

[drunkymonkey]

Yeah, I think I'm going to enjoy Final Fantasy Twelve's the most, when it does actually arrive.

[Griff]

From what I've played of FF10, the battle system is very complicated with that giant grid with the stones.
....That's the leveling system.

I like FFX's battle system, knowing the order each person is attacking in allows a bit of strategy to be added to the battles, hell in some battles it's necessary. Or just hit attack the whole time, y'know, whatever works...

[Topcat]

Yeah thinking about it, X did have a fantastic battle system, i especially liked it how you could change your characters in battle, great idea. I quite liked the sphere grid too, complicated but a clever way to progress levels. The only criticism was that you didn't get many summons, well not as many as other FF's.

7 also had a great battle system, pretty simple but enjoyable. I like battle systems where you do not have to rely on only attacks or magic or summons. In 7 all were seen as just important whereas for example FF8 you relied too much on summons in my opinion.

[Ifrit's_Daddy]

it seems like some people are gettin the levelling up systems mixed up with the battle systems. as far as battle systems go. i think that FFX is the only one that is really much different from any of the others. its weird because i ALWAYS play with the ATB on "active" as having it on "wait" is way too easy for me, but ironically, i think X's battle system is the best as by letting you swap characters mid battle, it throws a whole new strategic element to the battle

[Zeromus_X]

I, II, and III had a turn based system. Pretty fun. FFIII added in tasty damage numbers and items during combat; plus no more attacking air.

FFIV, V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX had ATB. IV didn't have the bar originally however.

FFX had CTB, which really had you thinking on what you'd do next. No more 'Cursor Memory' -> Button Mashing anymore.

FFX-2 went back to ATB, with charge time and Dresspheres. Changing jobs in battle kicked ass.

FFXI and XII seem like real time. FFXII looks very promising, from videos I've seen.

Zeromus is a summon. :)

[Yuffie514]

Final Fantasy VIII - is it harder to get a good kicking or a bad kicking?

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance - the Judges and the laws irritate me. however, the more i despise them, the more exciting the battles are.

[Pyroteq]

it seems like some people are gettin the levelling up systems mixed up

I'm talking about that as well. Battles, leveling up, EXP, Abilities, basically any gameplay related features.

[Zeromus_X]

Well, 'customization system' would be better than battle system.

Overview time!

FFI: You choose jobs at the beginning, which get upgraded later.

FFII: A realistic customization system. 'Create a character', as they say. Certainly more complex than FFI's system.

FFIII: The first customizable job system, with different abilities.

FFIV: Traditional leveling. Characters have a set class and gain abilities as they level up, like traditional RPGs.

FFV: FFIII on crack. The amount of customization is greater than ever before. Mix-and-match abilities, and the introduction of the Mime class.

FFVI: I hope you don't miss uniqueness in characters, because it's gone. Espers can teach magic, possibly a precursor to the GF Junction system in FFVIII. While characters have certain job-specific abilities and equipment restrictions, everyone can learn every spell.

FFVII: Materia system gives even greater customization. All characters have a suggested job by their starting materia, but in the end, everyone is just separated by their limit breaks.

FFVIII: Junction system is similar to FFVI's system, but now even more abilities are added. Stocking magic to increase your stats gives characters even more power; but is rather unbalanced.

FFIX: Characters learn abilities from different equipment. Nice and smooth.

FFX: The Sphere Grid allows even more flexibility, but each character is somewhat restricted by class. (Unless you fight the superbosses, at any rate.)

X-2: Dresspheres are a nice version of the classic job system. Different Garment Grids offer different abilies and styles. And, you can change jobs in battle. Pretty awesome.

*yawn* That's all I'll do for now.

Anyway, I enjoy Job systems like III, V, and X-2 the best.

[Darkwing Bahamut]

The battle systems in FFVIII and FFIX are similar, I didn't like either because they lacked originality. I hated the system in FFX, it was slow proceeding and unrealistic. You can leave the battle screen on for an hour and nothing moves. Overall, it makes the battles not as fun or exciting.

I like the battle systems in FFX-2 and FFXII. The FFX-2 system is much speedier and fast progressing than the other FF systems. The ADB (Active Dimension Battle) system in FFXII is in real-time and allows free movement in combat. Also, the battles are field encountered which means no more annoying random encounters.

The Final Fantasy XIII battles look awesome. The heroine can run around the field during battle and the battle menu looks to be real-time. The battles look faster and more action-oriented.

[Thorn]

10's "Turn System" and ability to bring characters in and out of battle makes it by far the best. Overdrive system is good too, with unique requirement in order to use the move succsessfully.

Though the spheregrid is not at all related to the battle system, that is also good.

[Lilliputian Hitcher]

FFX-2. There is no debate (or at least not until FFXII comes out).

[Hambone]

I fell in love with FFX's.

[Cruise Control]

Ac ombination of X and X-2 would be awesome.

[Mr. Lawl]

I actually really liked the X-2 battle system. I always wanted to be able to change classes on the fly, and SE came through in X-2. and you can even change classes during battle. I loved that. And it was even better because there werent' like, 5 classes you could choose from, you had I think 10-15 classes (haven't played in a while). But I really loved the leveling system in X. Because even though you had restrictions to a class, later in the game you can get sphere's to learn abilities of other characters. All my main people in the game knew all of the abilities and had most of the stat upgrades. But that took forever. I say a mix between X and II would kick butt, becuase you'ld be able to nearly completely customize your characters battle style.

Mr. Lawl

[Purple shoot]

I really like the games FFTactics and FFTA because they are from estrategy and, for me, that is the best thing in a game apart of the RPG games):p

[loinharte]

i think FFVIII has the best battle system

[abrojtm]

Battle system only, I really liked X's. For all non-story gameplay related features, I guess I'd say I like Tactics and Tactics Advanced.

[SeeDRankLou]

FFX-2 by far had the best battle system.

[DeathKnight]

I like FFX's battle system the best, but I like the dresspheres in FFX-2.

FTW :meditate:

If I had to choose one, I'd go with Final Fantasy X, it just felt great and perfect.

[Dreddz]

FFVII or IX, cant pick.....

[Ifrit's_Daddy]

Ac ombination of X and X-2 would be awesome.

One's turn based the other is active and is fast paced, how would you get a combination? medium pace?? :confused:

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

Final Fantasy Tactics. But then, isn't that what I always say whenever the question of best anything related to Final Fantasy comes up?

Anyway, to support it, the best parts about Tactics were the fact that you had to move around, and the Active Time meter, that made you plan your spellcasting and whatnot that much more carefully.

[Sefie1999AD]

It's hard to say which battle system was my favorite. I liked FFVII's Materia system, and the battles were quite fun in the game, but FFV's gameplay is also awesome with the addictive Job/Ability system. I also like FFIV and FFIX's systems of having fixed classes, so you can no longer make your characters carbon copies of each other, with everyone doing 99,999 damage with physical attacks and also bein able to heal, use black magic and summon monsters at the same time. I also liked FFX-2's fast ATB battles, and FFT's system is a lot of fun as well, it's like FFV's, though the battles are a lot more tactical since they aren't ATB.

[Aurongel]

i like FFXII's system of play, of just free roaming, but I dont like full time ATB, I want a system like a run up to, and kill system of FFXII, mixed with turn based FFX]

[Rengori]

If I can ever find it I bet FFT's system is going to be my favorite. But until I can find that, IX is my favorite.

[rubah]

things I like about battle systems:

ff1- magic is insanely useful, white mages can do okay damage (at least at the beginning where I am)
ff2- pure control over stats <3333333333
ff4- I honestly don't remember how it played now
ff5- I love the variety of abilities you can use, and how almost all of them can be useful in their turn
ff6- not as much control over stats, but the esper system was a good addition, esp. for learning magic *when* you want it.
ff7- I really don't remember anything outstanding I liked about ff7's battle system. I didn't really dig materia.
ff8- again, total control over stats (but in a more roundabout and end of game way) and oh man, their limit breaks+aura <3
ff9- it was crap. There was nothing good about it.
ffx- being able to preview how your turns came out is awesome, especially for trying to get the more obscure overdrive modes. having the aeons fight as characters was pretty cool too.
ffx-2- it's fast. and combos <33333 and the trigger functionality with r-whatever

things I don't like
ff1- 'ineffective'
ff2- 'ineffective'
ff4- can't remember
ff5- I'm not sure there was actually anything *wrong* with the battle system. Except when a character falls asleep, but can't be hit, and the others are all dead and the game gets into a perpetual loop.
ff6- magic, while fun to learn, isn't actually too often used by me. The fun statuses, sure, but not the actual damage dealing ethery stuff.
ff7- it wasn't very interesting
ff8- the limitation of magic does occasionally pose an issue with your stats being effected, but rinoa's angel wing limit solves that.
ff9- slow, boring, trance takes forever to get filled and then you have a one-shot of using it.
ffx- turn based takes an edge off the dire needs of the situations, although it can be just as bad thinking 'oh man I have one shot to kill this boss or I'm dead'
ffx-2- dumb chocobos can kill you :(

[LunarWeaver]

I like everything about X's system the best.

I think XII may replace it when it comes out. Hopefully!

[DarkLadyNyara]

FFII has my favorite leveling system. You actually have to think about how to train. It's more realistic, and in my opinion, more interesting. I do like alot of 9's features, though. The trance system was pretty cool. :D

[Tal]

X and XII

[Exlyn99]

I like the battle system of FFX. It was the first video game I ever played (it's still the only one, along with FFX-2!). I had hated everything about PlayStation and all that "video game crap", but along with loving the game, the battle system suited me. It didn't require any physical skill, just logic. I also enjoyed the one in FFX-2 because it was a bit more fast-paced and rather addicting.

I also liked the sphere gird system in FFX ^ ^ I know most people hate it, but I got the hang of it really fast and I though it looked neat...