I like Cloud (at least until Nomura flanderized the hell out of his character in Advent Children and Kingdom Hearts) but I think Tidus is the best main character mostly because he actually feels like a real human being. He has a broad range of emotions and character flaws which make him easier to relate to than any other Square protagonist, plus has his fair share of character development.

Quote Originally Posted by Wolf Kanno View Post
As I've said before, I appreciate the idea concerning Cloud, but less than pleased with the final result. Real Cloud is a drag to be around and I became less invested in the world and story by this point cause he's kind of whiny and the plot decided to stop caring about making sense by that point, but insisted on going on for another ten hours. So for me it's a bad combo that forever kind of tarnished whatever good the game was trying to do with him. None of this is helped by the fact that Cloud's story overall just doesn't really apply to me, which is why I resonate more with Squall (learning to reach out to other people), Cecil (learning to overcome a jerk past), and Lady Ashe (choosing duty over personal gratification) over a guy who wanted to be someone, kind of got what he wanted in the worst way possible, and then kind of doubts his accomplishments forever after because he never really learned to overcome his insecurity.

I'm sure most people will disagree with me of course. Frankly, I feel Ashley Riot pulled the whole "I'm not who I think I am due to manipulated amnesia" better, but that's largely due to the fact his past is left completely ambiguous by the end.
For the first half of the game Squall does nothing but wallow in self pity over being an orphan. That might (keyword here) have been understandable if not for everyone else in the game also going through the exact same experience, yet they managed to get over it and move on with their lives while he for some reason couldn't. Why should I feel sorry for him again? Aside from not knowing his parents there was literally nothing else wrong with his life. He was the best at what he did and surrounded by people who genuinely cared about him, yet he constantly pushed them away because he was a afraid of losing them and having his feelings hurt. And no I didn't just exaggerate, that's literally his rationale. This made it impossible for me to resonate with him on any level.

I see lots of people hang trout on Cloud for being "emo" yet give Squall a free pass for being just as bad if not worse, I just don't get it.