Episode 1 is still my favorite installment in the Trilogy. Cal it nostalgia or whatever but I recently went back and played Episode III and it's far from the masterpiece I used to think it was. Oh sure, upon your first or second playthrough it is pretty good. But I have the perspective of a guy who's played both EP1 and EP3 at least five times through and then several times part way.

Episode III is still a pretty good JRPG. It just isn't nearly as good as I had thought it was.

Episode II...well, Episode III gives you a complete summary of all the important things from there so just skip it.