Final Fantasy Girlfriend help!

[Cloud88]

Hi you lot! I haven't been on this in a while, been very busy, but then I came upon a dilemma that only YOU would be able to solve for me. So here it is.

I've decided to introduce my girlfriend to Final Fantasy. Now, the difficult decision comes. Which Fantasy do I introduce her to? Because this could go either really well, or really badly.

I need a game with a brilliant story, emotional attachments aplenty, decent graphics and easy to grasp gameplay to keep her interested. (The likes of FF12 is too complicated, and she would lose interest sharpish.)

So for this reason, I have narrowed my decision to three games, Final Fantasy VIII, IX and X.

Now, VIII is in there because of it's love story between Squall and Rinoa, and also because of the battle mechanics. The battles are easy to play, and there is also the ability to summon GF, which she would like, as it's kind of a funky Pokemon spin. (She loves Pokemon by the way). The disadvantages of this game is the Junctioning system. It can be far too complicated, and personally, I only drew magic to junction, never to use it. But, the game has an awesome musical score. Eyes on Me anyone?

IX has a much more simplistic approach to learning abilites. Equip an item, leave it on for a while, and bam, you learn the ability. The characters are goofy, but serious at the same time, and Zidane and Garnet's love story is one of the more touching of the series' imo. While Garnet and Eiko have eidolons, you really won't be able to summon one till the second disk, so no Pokemon till then. IX is also one of my personal favourites, so that's another reason I'm looking at it. Again, a fantastic musical score.


Now X. One of the best games in the series, easily. Ability learning system is straightforward enough, but with enough versatility to promote free choice. Battle gameplay is straightforward, and also there is no time limit on your choice of move. X also has the best Pokemon system, with the player able to summon Aeons and control their every move. The only drawback is the laughing scene, (cringe), and possibly Tidus/Yuna's voice. But the addition of actual speech could form better emotional bonds. And again, a kick-ass musical score.


So, I'm kinda stuck here. So if you guys could help me out here, that'd great. Final Fantasy VIII, IX or X. I can't decide, so I'm leaving it to you. Thanks for any and all help!

P.S. Sorry about the big long essay guys. I didn't mean to read your eyes off.

[Laddy]

I'd suggest IX. It's charming and pleasant but also poignant and arguably the best written of the series. That, and it has an excellent mix of complexity and simplicity. Easy to learn, but deep enough to keep you entertained.

[Quindiana Jones]

IX. Without a doubt. Keep it on the Wait battle system, and she should get the hang of it easy enough. IX has the most charm out of those three, so is definitely the best choice for introducing someone to the series.

Then make her play I and laugh at her failures.

[Jessweeee♪]

Statistically speaking, FFX is the most FF newb friendly and female friendly. Also FFX is awesome and the best ever. And smurf you and everyone else who says the laughing scene sucks; it is the best scene ever.

[Quindiana Jones]

You're the best scene ever!

...

I mean, you suck!

[fire_of_avalon]

Wrong on all accounts. She needs to play FFIV first. Love story. Handheld game. Set in medieval atmosphere with a touch of steampunk. Magic, knights, damsels.

It's basically a fairy tale in video game form. Easy to play.

FFIV. FFIV. Are you listening? FFIV.

[chionos]

FFIX.

It's cute but doesn't overplay the cuteness. It has not one but two romances, one being the typical protagonist+beautiful princess thing, but the other being the much less cliched burgeoning love/hate relationship of Steiner and Beatrix. It has one of the better endings of the FF series, with a smurfing wedding to top things off.
Plus there's Vivi, who is one of the better characters that FF has given us. His story is also emotionally driven and even produced one of the more emotionally charged scenes out of all the FF. The battle mechanics are relatively simple, there's a lot of extra stuff to do if she's into that kind of thing (chocobo hot&cold ftw!), and the music of FFIX is just as smurfing good as FFX, if a bit more laid back. and the kicker, you wanna know what the kicker is? How many protagonists has FF given us with an awesome smurfing monkey tail!?

FFIX then once she's hooked throw FFX at her.

EDIT: FoA my darling, if he were throwing open all of FF, then FFIV would surely be overshadowed by the perfection that is FFVI. More knights, more damsels, way more magic, more steam-punk, and a mothersmurfing sex scene. The only sex scene in all of FF. And it's not just any sex scene, it's a bestiality sex scene. Sexoring summons!? Are you crazy!? No, I'm not crazy, it's just FFVI, the best game ever made. There's also 2 transvestites (shadow and gogo), and a love interest who dies not once but twice! (take that Aeris!). So yeah, if cloud hadn't listed 3 very specific games he wanted us to help him choose from, we would be doing him and his lady friend a terrible disservice to not suggest FFVI.

[Sylvie]

Final Fantasy IX or X will do. If she's easy on the graphics, throw VI at her. I wouldn't suggest VIII because the Junction system will probably confuse the trout out of her, as well as the tedious processes of drawing magic and refining items and all that jazz.

[Wolf Kanno]

IX would be my choice, but then again, I've only been able to get my own GF to play FFX and X-2, as well as a third of FFVI. Then again, I got her hooked on Metal Gear Solid...take with that what you will.

I would also echo foa's sentiments, about FFIV, especially if you use the DS version, the story is more "friendly" to modern gamers and the difficulty curb could make sure you get some quality time together playing.

[VeloZer0]

Going for a PSX title could be hit or miss. I know we are all used to and idolize these games, but I think it might be a big shock for someone in this day in age to pick up and play with those old school grainy 3D models. We all still love these games and that speaks to itself, but I can see it being a potentially large hurdle to overcome.

If that isn't a problem FF7-10 would all be great choices. FF4 would be a great into, simple yet compelling. The DS version would be great, but the difficulty curve is a little extreme for someone you are trying to woo into the series. FF10 is a good choice for all the reasons listed, though the 100% turn based my be a turn off to some.

In all honesty I think that the medium you are playing on will have a bigger impact than the game itself. Judge whether SNES/PSX/PS2/DS would be a better gaming experience for her, then move on from there.

[McLovin']

FF8 because on first play she'll think the GF's are freaking awesome and use them all the time and never complain. It has an interesting introduction. FF9 is great but she might think that all Final Fantasy's are so "child-like" in the gameplay/graphics. At least 8 has a very mature, futuristic feel to it.

[Sylvie]

Actually Final Fantasy III might be a better option. I'm suggesting NES, but I have no idea about the DS.

[Levian]

I'm kind of in the same situation with a love interest. He's only been through FFX (just watched) and FFXIII

I'm thinking FFIX, purely because it's the newest FF game with somewhat of a multiplayer function. FFIV, FFV and FFVI are awesome. I know that, and you know that. But they're too heavy to start with for someone who's not used to that graphic and haven't played the middle generation games like we have. If they like FFX, FFIX, FFVIII and FFVII, then definitely get them started on the SNES generation, they'll probably like them too then!

[NorthernChaosGod]

Anyone who said anything other than FFVI is wrong.

[Cloud88]

Thanks for all the feedback guys!

So, in the lead is IX, with X coming second and VIII trailing somewhere in the dust. I would try to get her interested in VI or IV, but the graphics would turn her off i think, plus VIII, IX and X are more colourful. Now I know, colours aren't the main demographic from a game-playing point of view, but for a girl who changed the colour of her bedroom walls from tan to a shade of tan so similar that I thought a cloud had just passed in front of the sun, colours are important.