well perhaps I can pull in another opinion.

I like FFI
I like FFX
but I didnt like FF VIII

now if I must give reasoning to not liking FFVIII well it isnt its "futuristic setting"
its the way it was played out in the end.
I think storylinewise FFVIII fell under, and the characters didnt appeal to me [though I loved squalls gunblade]
but meh thats just me.

FFI I guess passes the "smell test" for folks as it was made during a simpler time in video games where you didnt need fancy graphics and FMV's to get by [outside of the fact it was impossible to do at a reasonable cost, sure CGI FMV's were there like in Tron and Star trek II the wrath of khan but they were way too expensive for square and the game pack woulda been bigger then the former twin towers]
and also you must give it up for FFI, it was the first in a revolution of great games.