What do you like in a final fantasy?

[Darknight32]

I like the final fantasys where in the end it is impossible for any characters to be alike (abilities, magic, etc)

[~SapphireStar~]

The love, pain, anger and death!

[Lunadis]

"I like swords."
>.>
<.<

But really, I like titles that reward strategy VS picking "all teh kewl powerful chars". Such as making the age old development of the Knight class (or an accessory/relic that does the equivelent) effective by raising the point where a character is in critical HP, or a game where you may consider a spell you have often overlooked. (Life 3, Frog, ect.) I often feel titles like Final Fantasy VII favoured killing them with endless Mimic'd summons/abilities before they can kill you. Feeling like I won due to a strategy or utilizing something correctly feels a lot better than winning via repetitive command, unless it's an older title like Final Fanasy I because they offer a great deal of challenge through simple means. But that's just me. =P

[feioncastor]

I like the absence of the Sphere Grid.

And I like the presence of a balanced Job system, like in FFV, or better yet, FFT.

[Frozen Phantom]

I like the never ending violence

[LunarWeaver]

I like blonde androgynous boys with tans.

[Acid Raine]

I like blonde androgynous boys with tans.

You came to the right place.

EDIT: WHEEEEEEEE!!!!!!! 1000th post!

[PlaidMage]

The variety in backstories of the characters.

Oh, and mogs. :mog:

[Elfen]

Storyline.
Gameplay.
Music.

[rubah]

I like the ones where you have exquisite control over the growth of your characters, junctioning, spheregrid, etc

The ones where you can get away with just attacking your way through the mess, but have a bunch of abilities to choose from too, if you choose.

the ones where they get all loveydovey

[Martyr]

I always associate Final Fantasy with a world that hangs in a balance of the twin forces of Darkness and light, which are channelled through crystals or orbs which have the power, should either side gain an upper hand, to tear the world apart.

It's a manifestation of an awesome metaphor about the precariousness of life as we know it on this planet, and I find it to be the spectacular heart of this Fantasy that is Final Fantasy.
I think that once the plots stray from this and relationships and what not are created with no relevancy or symbolism towards the underlying imperative idea, then the storylines and plotlines become twisted, bordering on cliche, and it's hard to accept that the game is Final Fantasy anymore.

So... I hope I have expressed what I like well enough through what I don't like.

Because that's how I explain myself.

Because I'm a pessimist.

And bad things will invariably happen. A lot.

[Wolf Kanno]

To me, I generally take the term "Final Fantasy" as literal. These games represent the end of an era for these worlds. If you don't count the sequels, an ignore the possibility that a few of them "might" be connected. Then you can see that each game is the last epic tale for these worlds. The Lunarians departing (FFIV), the destruction of the the crystals (FFV and FFIX), magic being extinguished forever (FFVI), Meteor and Holy's battle (FFVII), Time Compression (FFVIII), The bringing of the Eternal Calm (FFX) and even FFI (SPOILER)The heroes are forever in a time loop battling Chaos.

So to me, FF is all about the last great stories these worlds have to offer. I also have an odd obsession with moogles...

[boys from the dwarf]

too many things and i'd bore you if i made a huge list.

most of the things FF9 has.

a good variety of abilities.

length and storyline as well as depth and character depth. i like it to be a big game with loads of stuff to interest me.

secrets. sidequests and option bosses as well as hidden places on the world map.

area design. one thing i love abtou FF9 is how all of the areas are brilliantly designed and all look great.

different species. E.G. burmecians. genomes. black mages. summoners. humans.

interesting enemy designs and variety of enemies. E.G. most FFs have loads of different monsters. ultimecias final form is very well designed and so is zeromus and other important bosses.

[RiseToFall]

Simple

-Characters who you can really connect with. Ones that actually have a personality and develop throughout the game.

-An interesting story that flows smoothly. I hate when some games don't give you much info on the story in some parts, but then throw so much story at you that it's impossible to comprehend everything.

[cat_manda]

I really enjoy the storylines.
and the way everything just seems to start off lightly, and soon there is a huge problem.
The love stories are also one of the enjoyable points for me.
and the way, when a really good game comes to an end, you keep wnating more, and if its sad enough, can make me cry, and most FF's do this for me :P
excluding FFx-2 maybe...