Fynn's Top 25 games

[Fynn]

It's funny how you mention the Sphere Grid because I've actually recently ragequit my playthrough of X HD and moved straight on to X-2 HD because of it. Even with the Expert Sphere Grid, I found the system way to restrictive and stressful in a way. I always kept worrying that I still had so much to go to get all those stats that I need right now and all those abilities. I felt much more comfortable gaining regular levels and just obtaining licences for armor and skills in FFXII. Though I think it could have been more robust. I'm pretty sure IZJS resolves that issue though?

Anyway, stay tuned for an update in a couple of minutes.

Let me just warn you that from now on, unmarked spoilers abound.

[Scotty_ffgamer]

The Sphere Grid isn't perfect either. I kind of like the layout of the license board. It's easier to go for the exact thing you want to get rather than having to go along the more restricted path in things like the Sphere Grid. The sphere grid was just the only thing I could think of as a sort of close comparison to the license board in terms of FF games. I'd just like the freedom of the license board with more of a focus on abilities and stats. Not paying gil for magic and abilities and having the ability to just pay for equipment and wear it would be ideal for me. I can deal with it, and it doesn't really hinder my enjoyment of the game.

[Fynn]

#6

Another entry in a well-known series that has already appeared twice on this list. While it may not be the most popular entry, it holds a really special place in my heart, not only because it was my first Kingdom Hearts game ever…

KINGDOM HEARTS: CHAIN OF MEMORIES

This game set the annoying standard of the really good games in the series appearing on handhelds. I personally couldn’t be bothered by that, but I am almost exclusively a handheld gamer, always have been, but this has alienated the fanbase somewhat. People thought the handheld games were just side-stories and went into further games confused, having missed crucial plot-points from the handheld titles. Still, the handheld games are really where the heart and soul of the series is, and this is perhaps the most evident in Chain of Memories. Spoilers ahead, by the way.

Shhh. Let's not spoil the whole game now.

What starts of as an innocent revisiting of old KHI locales quickly devolves into a very brutal deconstruction of the Mary Sue trope (yet again – Nomura, you must really smurfing hate the fanficion your fans write ), where Sora’s cheerful optimism and drive to do the right thing and save his friends turns into a really dark obsession. His search for a false friend makes him forget who he really is – literally! He even abandons Donald and Goofy at some point, as he becomes more and more fanatical in his pursuit of the organization. And then we have the very character of Naminé who doesn’t want to do the things she is forced to, but it is clear it feels good to her to be so loved by Sora, even if it’s fake. The Riku Replica arc is just amazingly done. Never have I found a recurring villain’s story so tragic and sad, and it’s really devastating how it all ends for him. Oh yeah, you also get a whole storyline devoted to Riku once you beat Sora’s story and it is all sorts of amazing. I loved how this game really drove home the shades of gray that seemed absent from the original game, and how even though Riku has come back to the light, he can never truly leave behind him the darkness that tempted him. And best of all – that may not necessarily be a bad thing. I feel that this game is actually only the beginning of Riku’s story and it has some really fantastic payoff in KH 3D.

I don't think i've ever experienced a villain I wanted to punch in the schnoz as much as Larxene.

I guess what I’m trying to say throughout the whole paragraph is this: the writing in this game is hands-down the best in the series. It’s surprisingly dark and suspenseful, the characters are amazingly done and really, I wish KHII had at least half the quality of this game’s writing.

The promise of future handheld title greatness.

I also really enjoy the battle system, although I know it’s a mixed bag to a lot of fans. I personally had no problem managing my own deck in real time, keeping track of the number values and the enemy movement at the same time. It was a bit harder in the 3D remake, but I still managed. It’s really unique and fast-paced. It keeps you on your toes and boasts a robust collecting element that is sure to give those with more serious cases of completionist OCD a headache

The GBA original had some really gorgeous, detailed sprites. I think the Disney characters look especially good, as they’re all very faithful to their original designs and have really fluid movements. That’s not to say the original characters didn’t have fantastic spritework – they totally did, but there’s just something incredibly satisfying in seeing your favorite Disney characters in sprite form. The remake uses the KHI engine, with most models from the first game intact, which is still okay, but I really missed the charm of those sprites in that game.

It still looks pretty epic either way.

What new music tracks Shimomura introduces are gorgeous, but you’d expect nothing less. The remake gives us one new final battle track, but other than that, it’s all pretty much the same.

Now you guys got the HD ReMix available, so there’s no excuse to not play this game. Just because it was out on a handheld, doesn’t mean it’s any less of a Kingdom Hearts game. In fact, with its unique battle system and amazing story, I honestly believe this is the best entry in the Kingdom Hearts series.

[Scotty_ffgamer]

Out of curiosity, did you think the GBA version or PS2 version told this story better?

[Fynn]

Out of curiosity, did you think the GBA version or PS2 version told this story better?

Hmm... That is a good question. I think they both did really well. The sprites in the GBA version are very emotive and it really does help you get immersed in it. The voices in the remake are a pretty great addition, but I think some changes in the script were unnecessary. I mean, it's neat that Axel has his catchphrase now, but Marlixia's Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness was really overdone. Stil, I think they're both good.

[Scotty_ffgamer]

I feel like I preferred Axel's characterization in the original GBA version instead of pretty much any of the other games, but it's been forever since I've played it. I should do that again soon. I played the PS2 version for the first time in HD 1.5 ReMIX, but I think I prefer GBA in general. The gameplay made more sense to me in a portable game, and I think it didn't translate quite as well in 3D. It was still pretty great though.

I remember when Chain of Memories very first came out. I was completely blown away at the opening and closing cutscenes, and it also kind of blew me away when Simple and Clean played in the credits with pretty good sound. The sprite work was definitely beautiful too.

[Fynn]

I don't think Axel was that bad in the remake. I mean, he only says "Got it memorized?" once, other than that he's pretty much the same as he was in the GBA version. It's way worse in 3D, where every other line he says is his catchphrase

[Fynn]

#5

So it’s Christmas 2003. Junior high-aged Fynn has his cousin over. He has only two games on his GBA. He can’t wait until Santa brings him a new game (yes, I believed in Santa in junior high, shut up ). And there it is, a little square box, a water-color image of children on some dramatic background. Little did I know how important this game would become to me. I give you my first Matsuno game, and the highest-ranked FF on the list…

FINAL FANTASY TACTICS ADVANCE

Everything starts like a typical escapist fantasy. A young boy (just like me!) doesn’t fit in at school (*gasp) me again!) and just wishes he could be swept away into a magical world. And he is! How cool is that? Very cool.

Witch one do you smurfing mean? There's like a bajillion of those.

Until things aren’t that cool. Well, actually, apart from the laws getting really strict, there’s nothing wrong with fantasy Ivalice on its own. The only thing Marche notices is missing is… reality. He gets to fulfill his fantasy of being a powerful warrior in a clan that has tons of adventures, his brother can walk, and his friends are happy (heck, probably everyone in Ivalice is happy), but Marche sees what the others don’t want to see. This world is not real, never can be, and any happiness that they may experience in Ivalice is simply a way of escaping their own problems. Marche goes against his friends in an effort to show them that they must face their problems like adults – head-on, no compromises. Final Fantasy Tactics Advance remains one of the most mature FF games to date, with a very in-depth look at escapism and a coming-of-age story that promotes genuine maturity and thoughtfulness. This is one of those games that have thoroughly influenced the way I look at life, and I am forever thankful for it.

Sometimes, you just need to learn to accept yourself to let go of a fantasy.

So some people will tell me the gameplay is simply a watered-down version of FFT, to which I have to call bulltrout. Yes, there are some simplifications regarding stats and how armor works, but I think it’s all for the better, as FFT did have some overly complex elements that bogged the game down. Now, FFTA implements races on top of classes, that not only serve to make the game world seem more diverse and, well, alive despite being fake in canon, but makes the characters more unique, even if you argue that classes being exclusive to specific races is limiting. I also find that the FFIX-esque ability learning system is a real plus, though I wish it was more obvious how to get specific weapons and skills.

Look at all those chickens.

Hitoshi Sakimoto, as usual, offers us a sweeping score that is a tad more playful and lighthearted than what we got in FFT and FFXII, but there’s still a ton of epic music to keep the engagements fun and the really dramatic story segments all the more memorable.

I seriously, highly recommend this game to anyone. This game is anything but kiddy, while still being entirely kid-friendly. I think the aesop is a perfect one for kids and I am surprised so many people missed the point in all this. Although I still think it’s a sign of a good story that it makes people debate its meaning so passionately. Whether you agree with the message or no, the story is really well-paced and impeccably written, and if you are an FF fan (especially and Ivalice fan), you really owe it to yourself to play this game. To me, this is the best FF of all time.

[Skyblade]

Fantastic game.

Sometimes, you just need to learn to accept yourself to let go of a fantasy.

The picture above this line is broken for me.

So some people will tell me the gameplay is simply a watered-down version of FFT, to which I have to call bulltrout. Yes, there are some simplifications regarding stats and how armor works, but I think it’s all for the better, as FFT did have some overly complex elements that bogged the game down. Now, FFTA implements races on top of classes, that not only serve to make the game world seem more diverse and, well, alive despite being fake in canon, but makes the characters more unique, even if you argue that classes being exclusive to specific races is limiting. I also find that the FFIX-esque ability learning system is a real plus, though I wish it was more obvious how to get specific weapons and skills.

It is watered down FFT, yes. But that is not a bad thing. I mean, if you have a concentrated caustic or bleach, it can be useless for pretty much anything. Yet, if you water it down, it suddenly becomes incredibly useful.

Most of FFT's mechanics were complicated for the sake of being complicated. Yes, there is a lot of depth that you can get out of them, but it took people a lot of time devoted specifically to min/maxing the systems to develop most of those techniques, and even then, it mostly boils down to "follow a walkthrough or recommendations exactly to get the most out of the system, otherwise ignore it". The complexity cost was way too high for the depth they gave.

FFTA cuts out the fluff, then adds a bunch of more accessible features (like races) that put similar (or more) depth in without being nearly as complex.


I'd also like to make a nod here to FFTA2. It improves on FFTA in a number of mechanical ways, most notably, having a much, much better system for getting specific new items than the original. Pity the plot had to be so butchered.

[metagloria]

What the actual frick? I hated Chain of Memories. I've only played the GBA version, but I couldn't even get halfway through.

[Fynn]

What the actual frick? I hated Chain of Memories. I've only played the GBA version, but I couldn't even get halfway through.

Well, youre wrong

Fantastic game.

Sometimes, you just need to learn to accept yourself to let go of a fantasy.

The picture above this line is broken for me.

That's too bad, because it was a piece of really lovely fanart.

I'll get to FFTA2 once I do my honorable mentions

[Pumpkin]

I liked TA but it didn't make my list because honestly I forget most of it almost immediately after playing it. It just isn't memorable to me unfortunately

[Scotty_ffgamer]

I just got all of the Tactics Advance games! I'm excited to finally play it when I can get around to it.

I should say I meant to just say I prefer Axel's portrayal in Chain of Memories as a whole, not just the GBA version. The problem is once I played the PS2 version, i'd played every other game in the series and I was kind of just done with his character by that point.

[Skyblade]

That's too bad, because it was a piece of really lovely fanart.

Save a local copy, and upload it directly to EoFF.

I'll get to FFTA2 once I do my honorable mentions

Cool.

[Fynn]

#4

Here’s the other promised WRPG, another one that I got into thanks to my wife. I’ve yet to encounter a game that pulls off this kind of unique setting, while at the same time telling a really profound story.

PLANESCAPE: TORMENT

The game begins in a mortuary. You wake up with no memory and no name, with only a floating, disembodied skull speaking like a gangster keeping you company. Everything’s really dirty, ugly, smelly and in general just… deathy. Deady? Death-esque? Deathinitely.

Pretty.. skully, if you ask me. Alright, I'm gonna shut up now.

So once again we are back to AD&D. We don’t get to create our character this time, but that’s okay, because the gameplay and battle system takes a back seat in Torment. In fact, I think there’s a total of four obligatory battles in this game. You can even talk your way out of most boss battles, provided you have high enough charisma. On that note, I would even recommend forgoing adding any stat points to the physical stats, instead focusing on wisdom, charisma, and intelligence, since the better developed those are, the more memories your character gets to get back, and the amount of story that you get to experience is much bigger.
Planescape: Torment takes place in the city of Sigil mostly, the City of Doors, situated between the many planes of the D&D multiverse, where anything can act as a gate as long as you have the proper key, not to mention the city itself changes its shape. This concept is pretty amazing, if you ask me, and is implemented really well – while Sigil will remain your hub area, you get to visit a number of different settings to discover what exactly your previous incarnation has done.

Without spoilering too much, this game offers one of the most ambitious stories in video games. What starts of as a simple amnesiac plot turns into a profound tale of mortality, morality, sacrifice and acceptance of one’s fate. The ending I received left me wondering for weeks. The game introduces some interesting philosophies (which you can associate yourself with in-game), which is fitting, considering ideas come alive in Sigil (seriously, you can convince a guy he doesn’t exist and he disappears). And really nothing at all is black or white in this game. Once you start discovering your own backstory and how it all relates to your comrades and other characters you encounter, really nothing is clear-cut. About that – the characters that can join you are some of the most original characters I ever got to join my party. Of the… well “normal”, regular races you encounter in D&D there are only two humans (including yourself, who doesn’t really fit the standard definition of a human; and then there’s Ignus, who is essentially a floating, burning corpse) and one tiefling. Other than that you can get a Succubus, the floating head I mentioned, and an animated suit of armor. There’s eight characters to choose from in total, but once again your party is limited to six members, so you’ll have to miss out on two of them. Though trust me – maintaining a party of six misfits like this can be really challenging. Some are downright insane and will just plain try to kill you if you don’t say the right thing during conversation.

The music is also pretty unconventional. There’s a lot of synth and other electronic sounds, and though most areas stick to ambient noise, there’s a lot of really solid atmospheric tracks. I am not familiar with other works by Mark Morgan and Richard Band, but this soundtrack really stands out to me as a very memorable one.

Fans of deep, difficult stories will feel right at home with this one. I would recommend playing this after BG, unless you are already well-acquainted with the AD&D ruleset, as that really streamlines the experience. Planescape: Torment offers a big catharsis factor, one really similar to those of Greek tragedies (you’ll notice more of this trend in the following entries ). I really find myself speechless now. I really, really recommend this game. It’s not long. Try it and tell me: what can change the nature of a man?