The first one I actually personally played was FFX. Can't remember when. 2004-2005? I tried it out because my uncle gave me a handful of PS2 games when I first got mine (so I played some Jak & Daxter and Grandia 2 along with this).

But I had experience of FF8 well before then - my uncle used to run around playing Triple Triad. I don't think he ever did anything else. xD