In the eariler installments of Final Fantasy, character designs were bland to say the least. I'm not just talking visually, more specifically character backrounds and personalities. Later installments proved that these things would improve and the players of the game would grow attached to certain characters. Aside from this flaw in my opinion I found that the beginning versions of Final Fantasy were better in terms of story line and in some cases game length. Any members that know me well here know that my favorite game of the series is Final Fantasy III(VI) on the SNES. There are many reasons that I put this game on the top of my list , and thats another topic alltogether. I have had many people say to me that Final Fantasy 7 through 12 are far better than say FF's 1-6. So the main point of the topic is to discuss your opinions on which generations of FF's that you feel are better and why you feel that they are better then the others.

I'd definately say that later installments have a superiority compared to the first few games in the series. Visual wise is quite obvious, so I won't pay any attention to that for one. However, as far as story lines are concerned, FF 1-III offered little difference in the actual course of events over the game. Save the crystals of Fire, Earth, Wind and Water. IV and V also were stuck with the principle, though, to credit them, the characters and stories themselves were further developed.

It wasn't until the later installments the story lines became a bit more interesting. Yes, the games still have recurring themes, such as the story involving some gigantic natural disaster, but from VI to VII to XIII to IX etc, the stories were dramatically different, as were the characters, which have also become a lot more likeable.



As far as length goes. I don't think the early games are really that much longer story wise either. The problem is all the damn grinding you have to do for the levels you need to beat up the bosses, III especially for me takes forever to strengthen my party.

Music is another obvious one, musical tracks have become much easier on the ears over the years.

And I suppose the last point for now at least is replay value. I don't recall having all that much to do outside the story in the early games, or much reason to replay other than if you really liked it. Some games though, like VII, have quite a lot of things to do to kill time, and I like that.

I think it's unfair to compare the first 6 with the later 6.

The first six come from a different time with much inferior graphics. The characters were bland because you didn't have the space to span them out like in the later versions. They were much simpler because of the console restrictions. It's hard to compare games that are seperated by 20 years in an industry whose technology is old in a matter of months. It's hard to compare games that could be completed in 20-40 hours compared to games that could be completed in 40-60 hours. Two different things.

As a whole though, I think the first 6 were better.

i dont have a lot to say on the matter other than while i enjoyed the first 6 and i have enjoyed the last 6 (cept for IX) i would say that the last 6 do offer a bit more variety in the storylines for me and also in the character depertment. Now as to which ones i have enjoyed the most, that one is a bit more of a toss up, though i still think i would give the edge to the later 6.

Actually, the Final Fantasies should not be divided into 2 groups. Final Fantasy XII is clearly not in the same generation as Final Fantasy VII, VIII, or IX. The same goes for Final Fantasy VI and Final Fantasy II.

I agree with what Pes said, but I'll try answer anyway.

I'm going to say the later additions (7-12), simply because I thouroughly enjoyed four of them. The games being 7,8,9 and 10. Whereas in the first additions, I only really loved playing 4 and 6. But of course, my favourites wouldn't be possible without the first Final Fantasies

Most of the games in the later series have more story/character depth, fun and interesting gameplay. This isn't surprising considering they're made in a different time period and after using experience with the first games.

Yea I'm gonna have agree with Pes here, there is a very big generation gap between FF X and FF XII on gameplay, graphics, etc. If anything here's what each generation of FF's should look like.

1st generation
FF1
FF2
FF3
FF4
FF5

2nd generation
FF6
FF7
FF8
FF9
FF10

3rd Generation
FF11
FF12
Future FF titles


I left out Tactics and the remakes of the 1st generation because I am unsure to how to label them.

ID SAY THAT GEN 2 ACTUALLY STARTED WITH FF7 SEEING AS IT WAS THE FIRST 3D FF ON THE MARKET

It would be more like this:

1st generation
FF1
FF2
FF3
FF4
FF5
FF6

2nd generation
FF7
FF8
FF9
FFTA
FF10
FF11

3rd Generation
FF13
Future FF titles

I don't see why FF VI would be included in 2nd generation, because that series too include 3D animation use in the cutscenes. As opposed to FF V which didn't make use of 3D animations. Also FF XI was the first online Final Fantasy, which was pretty much part of the newer generation of games.

Final Fantasy VI was on the Snes which is classed as the first generation. Were you classing it from the Snes version or the PS1 remake version? Final Fantasy XI started out on the playstation 2 which would be the second generation.(Even if it is now on the Xbox 360 and future expansion for it)

1. I was referring to the PS1 remake.
2. Even though FF XI was on the PS2 at first doesn't make it 2nd generation. Online gaming in itself is part of a newer generation of gaming, and if you recall even the PS2 (older model) needed an add on to allow users to play online.

The FMV's were added to the remake, but the original Final Fantasy VI is a Snes game which makes it a first generation. The generations are what the games were originally released on and most remakes of the Final Fantasy games have used the same graphics, but just sharpened them up an added extra dungeons or things.(Except the new DS remakes which they have used a 3D system)

Final Fantasy XI was also originally released on the Playstation 2 and I suppose the newer console versions have used the same game engine(not sure though) from the Playstation 2 and PC of that generation.

So in conclusion: FF6: 1st generation FF11: 2nd generation.

I'll agree then to FF6 being 1st generation. However, I'd have to disagree that FF11 would be 2nd generation. What I'm trying to stress is that the newer generation of Final Fantasy's are the ones that break away from the traditional Turn based gameplay most Final Fantasy games are known for. FF XI is would be counted as third generation because it is a MMORPG, as does FF XII because its battle system is far more innovative as opposed to the 1st and 2nd generation gamees. If you're concluding that FF 11 is 2nd generation, then that means you're also concluding that FF XII is 2nd generation as well.

What generation do you concider FF XI to be then?
As for FF XII, I think that one could be concidered a new generation appart from X and X-2 because of how much the game system changed, and it may have set the bar for future FF games.

I fixed my post as to why FF XI should be considered 3rd generation. But I suppose that if that's not sufficient enough, then I propose that perhaps FF XI should be more of a transitional generation of games that implements both 2nd generation traits and 3rd generation traits.

Of course Final Fantasy XII is a second generation game, it would have been created and released on this generations consoles if it was. You could argue that the battle system will revolutionised the Final fantasy future of games but it is still a sort of turn based system and nothing really new, the same could be said for the vast open areas, which Dragonquest VIII did before, which is last generation.

Is generations also not based apon graphics more than gameplay? Or just on graphics alone?

I was under the impression that generations would be based off gameplay, also the gameplay of FF XII has much more depth as opposed to say FF IX. Sure you can level grind as much as you want in both games, but you're given the freedom to add which abilities you would want that character to hold. Which is vastly different than having characters with an already specific set of abilities of due to their classes ability (Vivi= Black Mage, Steiner=Knight, etc). FF XII revolutionizes this aspect because of interclass abilities you could form between a single character. For instance I have set up Vaan to be a lancer/thief from the abilities I have gave him. One could contest that FF X had a similar freedom, but the each character in that game was limited by their stats to become a versatile multiple class player, for example Yuna can be an excellent White Mage/Summoner (set class)/Black Mage. However Lulu can't be a good white mage due to her stats and specified class setting. As for FF XI, please read my fixed post. Essentially that's what I'm trying to explain the difference between FF XI and FF XII between the other past games.

Even though it's turn based, that may be a foundation that will never change simply because they want it to be intact intentionally. But the changes it brought removed the barrier between in game exploring and in battle fighting, which isn't anything new per se, as it's basically how MMORPG's work, but it's a new way to make it work properly in a turn based rpg, not least because of the Gambit system, which is another big change it brought.

I think the generations should also mark a significant change in the series, rather than only a graphical upgrade. And that's something FF7 did, and I think FF XII can be counted as one of those games as well.

If generations are defined by game play then some games back in the Snes days have better game play than some of the games in this and the last generation, so that would not work. The same would be said about Mario, 3 different consoles and still the same 3D game play.

Final Fantasy XII you can all get the same magics and abilities by the end of level grinding(not so much a freedom as the system is similar to Final Fantasy X), but in Final Fantasy IX you as you stated above have characters with their own specific abilities which consists of different formations and ways to play the game and battles. That makes the characters different and not the same with the same abilities. I find that better.

Yeah. Nothing beats having on rails characters.

True that it may be that there different categories on how to characterize different generations. However, if you're categorizing it by release on a platform then that means FFT War of the Lions, FFT A2, FF VII CC, and the remakes of FF1-4 would be considered third generation merely because they are on the next generation of handhelds.

You may get the same magics and abilities at the end of lvl. grinding in FF XII but the process in getting is vastly different from the past FF games. Furthermore, it's complete folly in FF XII to structure any of characters exactly the same, because all of them would have the same strengths but the same weaknesses as well. The game itself allows the player freedom to shape and control how their characters will fair in battle, giving the player a more active role in the game. As opposed to just simply lvl. grinding an just witnessing you're character progress. Look I wasn't saying that way is better, but I was merely stating the differences and innovations of gameplay which would set up apart FF XI and FF XII from the 1st and 2nd generations.

That would mean Super Mario Bros is a 3rd generation game since it is on the Nintendo Wii. You cannot say game re-released on different is that generation because it is a re-release or remake of a game that was originally released in a different generation. Which means that is the generation it was released.

War of the Lions is a re-release with some extra things and FFTA2 is a brand new game not a remake or re-release so that can be classed as this gen(Or whatever generation the DS is on). FF 1-6 that has been re-released on the Gameboy advance or whatever other systems and has used the same graphics and gameplay as back when the original games were released.



Which Final Fantasy X had already done with its sphere system.



Noted, acknowledged and agreed.

Final Fantasy VI and I are first generation? According to your logic, each console is a new generation, Final Fantasy I and VI can never be the same generation, as FFI was on the NES and FFVI was on the SNES.

1st genereation:

Final Fantasy I
Final Fantasy II
Final Fantasy III

2nd generation:

Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy V
Final Fantasy VI

3rd generation:

Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy VIII
Final Fantasy IX

4th generation:

Final Fantasy X X-2
Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XII

5th generation:

Final Fantasy XIII

This is how it should be, there is a diffirence between Final Fantasy I and Final Fantasy IV, mainly due to the newer console.

I don't think generations should be considered by what consoles they were on, but the time period in which the games came out. For example FFI and FFVI are very different games and came out on different consoles, but I still feel they are in the same generation of Final Fantasy because most aspects of the games are similar. Not exactly the same, but a lot of things are similar, including storyline, characters, and graphics.

There is a clear diffirence in quality in games such as FF I and FF IV and FF III and FF VI. I never felt that VI and I were in the same "generation". If consoles always indicate a new generation of games, why does Final Fantasy VI belong to the same "generation" of Final Fantasy games, even though the gap of quality between VI and I is like Final Fantasy VII and FInal Fantasy XII.

It is quite clear that with Final Fantasy IV they started a new thing and sure, IV has some things from I, but isn't that what FF is about? Even XII has things from I, the infamous opening theme even.
Or look at Locke and Zidane and see how much they are alike. Both thieves, blue outfits, willing to help someone, just because they want to, still there is a clear diffirence in the games.

And sure, FF I and VI both use sprites for graphics, but that doesn't mean that there isn't a diffirence. The music in FF I doesn't sound good as FF VI, quality wise I mean.

I love both generations. I agree that you can't really compare them since they're from completely different times with completely different technology. Both generations have very high points and helped shape rpg's as we know them.

If you stablishing the split in 2Dx3D, than I can only vote for 3D, since I haven't played any 2D FF other than VI.

THat said, VI was a great game, and the story and characters surpass easily games like X and XII...