Well, FFVI and 3 were the 2 games I'd never got round to playing. I was itnroduced to the series with FFX, and besides these 2 classics i've pretty much done, at least three quarters of, all the others.

Not sure this is specifically this section or FFVII, but i'll stick it here. I've seen a lot of arguments over which is the better game, so many people arguing. Which is a classic? Which is more recognised? Which one is overated? Underated? Is Cloud emo?

But, until I started playing FFVI (currently in negotiations with the emperor about securing peace) I didn't realise exactly HOW MUCH of this was recycled for FFVII.
Swap Empire for Mako company, their in ridiculously similar cities. Cid's experiments on Espers = Hojos experiments on Ancients. Even the Espers and Ancients seem quite similar, and when all those Espers broke free from the other side of the seal I was put exactly in mind of the Weapons escaping in FFVII. Even Kefka and Sephiroth are basically similar, both psychotic in different ways and both end up as similar final bosses. And, I do know some of the plot, equating General Leo with Aeris.

So many things that FFVI does, then FFVII does in a similar, not the same but similar way. I know themes and setups are recycled throughout the series, but now I can appreciate how close they are.
Not sure whether 7 was better or not, it was definitely a class game despite looking like the backend of a pig (I played it last year. Took me a LONG time to get used to the graphics)....