Hey ya'll, thanks for watching, hope you enjoyed! This is going to be the first part of a broader series where I look at various pieces of Final Fantasy as a franchise, from games to films to some of the specific people behind it, so I hope this works as a general introduction for those who are currently unfamiliar with the way of the chocobo. If you enjoyed this, it'd mean a lot if you considered helping me out over on Patreon. Just a dollar or two can go a long way to helping keep things rolling. www.patreon.com/codexentry Going to be uploading every Monday for the foreseeable future, so be sure to sub and ring the bell to make sure you don't miss out. Thanks again for watching, see ya again next week, peace.
unironically i was playing FF14 *WHILE* watching this video,since my friends strongarmed me into playing it with the quarantine and all,and everyone even you says Shadowbringers is a masterpiece..
I need the Switch remaster something fierce, been wanting to replay that game properly for years but didn't wanna have to deal with GBAs and link cables
Missed this video somehow. Glad to have given it a watch. I had that "I've taken this series for granted" feeling when I went to Distant Worlds and heard the prelude. Been with the franchise since the first, but Final Fantasy IV was the one that taught me at the age of 7 that games weren't just... well, games. When I was in the audience and heard that prelude play, I was immediately transported back to that 7 year-old kid in the living room that woke up at like 5am on a Saturday morning and just listened to the title screen of the game because it captured emotions that I wasn't old enough to understand yet. I'm "unofficially" trying to go through the franchise myself, but unfortunately I suck at getting stuff done in a timely manner so who knows when the next FF video will be. I wish you much better luck than I've faced (which considering you've put out two videos this month after professionally writing a game guide... I mean, sounds like you'll have no problem on that front).
Did you just called dissdia bad? I mean opinions I guess but that seems like an outrages statmeant. I have not played NT yet but Dissidia 012 is a fantastic game. Also I need to play FF9 at some point. I only got a very surface level impresion but that Vivi guy seem the typ of character I enjoy. I wonder If my Laptop can run the game. I did not bought it fore gaming pourpeses and I am actully more of a consule gamer but I heard about this cool mode that makes the backrounds lock better.
I've never played FF before in my life. Somehow every time i felt all too overwealming to enter it. I hope that with your series i finally can try some =)
Whatever the XIII series was aside, Lightning Returns is a criminally underrated game in the franchise. It's easily the best game in the XIII series and I'd consider it one of the best Final Fantasy games overall. It had the full RPG package, reminding me of older games in the series that were packed with meaningful side content, alternate endings, many loose ends finally tied up, and arguably the most character development of any of the XIII games (XIII-2 had "character development" but in the same way that a bag of chips is "full" when it's mostly air). The gameplay was fun, the world was very much fleshed out without much in the way of dead space (unlike the original XIII game), and there's meaningful and enjoyable replay value after you beat the game with the new game plus unlocks (an entirely new upgrade system, even). The "time limit" in the game was very lenient but it lent a sense of progression as you played it, recuperating at the end of each day and seeing the results from what you did earlier paying off. The combat is probably some of the best in the entire series, finally making the "active turn-based" style work and allowing a huge number of playstyles (or even abusing the system if you know what you're doing). The story felt engaging and like it had stakes that the player could be involved in finally for the first time in the XIII series, where the others wasted too much time skipping between *way* too many characters to tell their individual stories and leaving the player feeling disjointed from the experience. Lightning Returns was simply fun, it's one of the only FF games I put the effort in to 100% clear and beat the superbosses in, besides V, IX, X, and X-2. It's one of the first games in the franchise I'd recommend to newcomers, since it's recent enough to not be offputting with archaic systems and holds up as a standalone game even without the FF branding.
ff13 worst in series, lighting worst protagonist. (all are guilty, mother died! Hope blame, promised to defend sister? Snow blame I'll beat him, not a hero but sc u m)
I don't think it's even quite fair to call FF1 "Tolkien inspired." I mean, sure, technically it is, but only in the same way that virtually all fantasy is Tolkien inspired, on some level. I think the truth is actually weirder, and sets the stage for all the weirdness of the series to come. It's really more based on D&D, except as interpretted by someone who had no idea how the rules work, through the lens of DragonQuest. So, Tolkien-inspired, but reflected and refracted off several fun-house mirrors. It's sort of like how Dark Souls was famously inspired by Miyazaki reading western-style fantasy and appreciating the art, but not really having any idea what's actually going on. It's taking the familiar, but wrapping it up in a strange, uniquely Japanese package. It really stands to reason that the series could only develop into something even more weird.
I'm so glad I went against my fears and gave FF14 a chance. I still get chills thinking about walking through the gates of judgment and seeing Ishgard for the first time.
Though I love 9, the one thing I don't think it is is perfect. The game is very disjointed, scattered even, but that ends up not being a big problem in the end.
FF13 is a tough game to love but it came to me in a time where I was really learning about myself and basically pushed me along into realizing I was trans. Is it a bad game? Yes. Do I still love it? Also yes. That said, prior to Shadowbringers if you'd ask me what the best FF game was I would have said "Chrono Trigger"
It's always interesting for me to listen to Final Fantasy fans talking about this series, since I have missed the FF Hype train despite beating several games, including the entire compilation of FF7.
I am so glad more people are having these conversations. Even if most of the games are good, the name Final Fantasy means nothing, when they announce a new game lord only knows what you are going to get.
That's crazy. I remember wanting to play every main final fantasy game in university and stopped after 3rd. Because each individual game was taking me around 6-8 months to finish. Maybe it was because of my studies, but I never got back to play FFIV
Really great video! I'm still new to playing final fantasy games, as I've only played Final Fantasy XV, but the game definitely got me interested in the series. It's a bit confusing as to which other games I should play as there are just so many of them and so many different opinions on which ones are the best (with the exception of Final Fantasy VII, which seems to be universally loved)
7 is definitely the most important one to play as it was not only really vital to the series, but it's also still arguably the best. Personally, while 7 is my favorite, I think 9 is the best one overall. If you're not big on the graphics of the PS1 games though, then either 6 or 10 or even 14 might be the best start for you.
I love FF13, fight me. But for real it was actually my first FF and I’ve since played many entries in the series new and old and I really do love this franchise. FF13 is by no means a perfect game, but it is among the good titles in the franchise imo.
You actually worked at Nintendo after that video? That's suprising, but still awesome Great video, can't wait for you to make some great analysis videos about the ff games.
I hear people talk about FF getting weird after like 7 but, come on, the series has been a funk fest since the very beginning. FF1: An RPG made because Dragon Quest was popular... By a team of developers that didn't even know what HP was FF2: Dump jobs and the leveling system out the window to attempt making a dark story... On NES in the 80s FF3: Actually no, lets go back to jobs and deepen them more as well as the leveling system but make some stuff oddly rare FF4: SCREW JOBS AGAIN, no more turns, you get funky time bars, let's attempt another focus at a story but kinda give the characters the jobs to each FF5: Back to jobs again with the most in-depth version of the system at that point but make the story goofy FF6: Look at 4 but like, we finished the game earlier than expected and made the best part of it as an after thought FF7: Threeee Deeee and a really in-depth customization that almost makes each character lose their uniqueness, only 3 party members in battle at a time, g r a p h i c s FF8: Make it so open ended that the game is aggressively exploitable, make it really American because FF7 was a hit there, also make the story wackier than before even FF9: Ok 8 clearly wasn't the best idea so lets go back to something like 6 with the characters and make the characters chibi after trying to be realistic in the previous games FF10: Make the game more lineal than before, DUMP the funky time bars and instead you're turn-based but can manipulate turns with your actions, also barely even hints at being medieval FF11: Screw it, MMO. Oh and let's go back to the jobs, those were neat FF12: People liked Tactics so lets get the fella from that to work on a mainline game and maybe we could use a similar combat system to 11- oh wait the director has health issues due to work, uhhhh, someone else complete it. Oh and make the protag a teen lad, that's popular, adult men aren't. OH and make it aggressively open FF13: Ok apparently people hated how open the last one was (in Japan) so lets make this next one a literal hallway. Hey, FF10 guy, get over here. Oh you want the game to be like a movie? Sure FF14: Let's do an MMO again- why is everything on fire FF14ARR: OK let's try this again, get the guy who designed the battle system for 4, let's literally kill the original and make this the best we can. Oh hey, people REALLY like this! FF15: Crap, Nomura's had that 13 spin-off in development hell for a decade now, freakin... We need him to work on KH3, what to do... Well, there's a lot done with it, and even if it's an action game, ehhhh, we've already changed how battles work a lot before, right? Alright, get the Agito- I mean Type-0 to trim it down and let's release it as 15, it's probably big enough to be a mainline game.
I'm feeling the vibe of your analysis big time. I drifted after 13, but then about a year ago I started a deep dive into all Square RPGs (an utterly bizarre experience that I've stopped questioning and am simply leaning into.) Many of the things you say in this video resonate with my own thoughts. In the last year I've played Xenogears, Chrono Trigger, 1, 7, 7 Remake, 8, 9, 10, 10-2, 12, 13, and 14. I look forward to watching more of your videos.
Unpopular opinion but I enjoy most Final Fantasy games since VII till now at a varying degree, yes that includes XIII and most of the spinoff Haven't played I-VI and probably never will but I would love to see a remake of them one day
i just can’t get into the new final fantasy games because its weird.. im more focused on the realism even if its fantasy but when i tried 10 its just absurd. seeing ff15 i saw they can ride cars but still uses swords and magic wands? 🤦♂️
At this point, Nier will get talked about when the reboot approaches, and DMC5 will come when everyone least expects it (or an SE, whichever comes first)
Going through every FF game. I started that at the beginning of my adult years. I wanted to say "I beat every mainline Final Fantasy" so I set out to do it. Get some older final fantasy, *ahem* downloaded on my computer so I could use a nifty "speed up" function. And you'll blaze through quite a few of the older titles. Granted, I still haven't done so yet because I'm a terrible person. But, since college, I've beaten FF1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10-2, 13, 13-2 and 15. I'm not a fan of MMOs so obviously I skipped 11 and 14 and it's probably no coincidence that the one Final Fantasy I have trouble actually sitting down and completing is 12, the most MMO-y single player one among them. I think if I get it on my switch, I'll finally beat it (as I grow older, I find myself drawn to the handhelds that let me play and watch something at the same time). But yeah, with the new releases of 7, 8 and 9 with their speed up function, + having the older games on...R...O..M...S... (I know but, in my defense, I have bought copies of the older FF games from Square. They got my money, I just want to be able to have a fast-forward button when I'm playing games), playing through FF games have never been better.
Finally someone mentioned this, i remember getting into the series and my jaw dropping to the floor when i saw how many cheap and weird spinoffs this series has
This is probably one of the best FF videos I've seen, you kinda hit the nail on the head when you said that the series is trying to become whatever it wants.
@@shinbakihanma2749 Sorry homie, but I'm mildly fried on Persona and Royal really does not seem to add/change much that was worth changing from what I've seen that I feel inspired to rant about it. Couple that with the fact that the algorithm doesn't seem to like Persona content rn and it's hard for me to justify focusing on it *too much*. Part 6 & 7 will most likely be out within the next few months though and I'm going to try my hardest to finish the whole series this year.
Codex Entry Yeah, I thought as much. I do think Royal adds a nice chunk of added content, but nothing that can’t be saved for a small post-analysis discussion of some kind. Nothing to rush to right now. Can’t wait for Parts 6 and 7, but more importantly in the present, I’m really excited to see some Final Fantasy content. Especially with 7 Remake coming out.
I've been fascinated by Brave Exvius. I spoiled the main story by reading the main character's wiki, but there are still enough events going on that keep me surprised.
Finally you tackled this series! After watching your previous videos on the Persona series I am excited for this. Good luck to you since this is a massive series!
2:32 hey now, nomura only provided the character designs, that second person was ACTUALLY Motomu Toriyama 3:07 how fucking dare you 5:45 i can't tell if you're the second person to mistakenly call cup noodles top ramen or just referencing the guy i'm thinking of
I look forward to it. I'll be honest, I am kind of a embittered FF classicist at this point, with my favorites really being VI, VII, VIII and IX. I've tried several of the games that you mentioned, and I guess I experienced something similar. It's almost like, in seeing this franchise become essentially everything that is possible to make, I became desensitized to it, and almost to JRPG's in general, to the point where the only head turners in recent memory are Persona 5 (by the way, see you in 2025, Akechi video) and Radiant Historia. With that in mind, I am excited to see what you say and see if I can break out of the embittered state. It's to my detriment, after all. In any case, I look forward to seeing something fresh, or at least look at some stuff I've merely glanced at with a more charitable perspective. Glad to have you back. Oh, and Aerith body pillow on the way.
This is basically where I was at about a year ago, but honestly, really recommend trying to replay X with an open heart if you can and giving 14 a try. X is way better than I remember and while FF14 starts a little slow, once you get to the first xpac it becomes just as good as any of those. I was super done with FF before this with 0 plans to pay super close attention to the franchise again, and now I'm planning the next couple months of my life around it. That's how good it is. Also, it does fanservice really, really well.
@@CodexEntry I remember you saying on Twitter that 14 feels like a proper numbered FF game, gave you an experience like playing the old ones at a younger age, which is the most compelling reason I've had to play it. That said, I'm not an MMO guy, and while I definitely saw there is something to legitimately love, it seemed a little impenetrable, if that makes sense. Also, I didn't have much time back then, and I couldn't get into a rhythm for it, so I fell off. Now that we're all essentially staying home, I might get a chance to dedicate some time to it, but there's that other small FF game about to come out which might prevent me from doing that. Also, I like 10 (but nowhere near as much as the previous ones), so I might give it another chance if I have time, I mean it has been ages, so really I only remember thinking I liked it, so it might be a quasi new experience. I actually really enjoyed XII on the Switch a short while ago (which I didn't originally play, this was my first time with it). So hey, it's an opportunity to fall in love again.
A well-said response to the creative complexity and resulting quagmire that is the current landscape of Final Fantasy. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on each! -F p.s. I agree; FFXIV is lit. I'm playing it right now myself.
no one i follow has ever really talked about ff4 and it was the first final fantasy game i ever played bc my mom got it for me on account of it being popular or something? so i wonder about it sometimes. It was my absolute favourite game I'd ever gotten at the time and still about the only final fantasy game (that matters. considering my mom got me 13 as well years later. thanks mom) that I've ever had access to. a lot of them are console games and as is probably obvious now my access to them was... limited. and now I'm just broke haha. gonna have a look on steam to see which ones that you've talked about are available
It's been 3 years and I don't see any FF retrospectives besides Advent Children 🤔 tbh I've been wanting to write some essays about my feelings for FFXIV, it's so damn good
I always feel like I'm in the minority with FF13. It does take like 20-ish hours before it opens up, but once it does HO BOY is it amazing. I think I spent more time on 13 than I did with 7. Plus 13-2 imo is the best FF game in the mainline series.
dude you cant just say that the dissidia games are bad, NT sure but dissidia 012 duodecim was THE shit on the psp along with crisis core and it proved that even psp games can have solid combat systems that were really fun.
I really need to get back to FFOnline. Finally discovered Type-0 video game after knowing about it for 2 years from the TCG, and am enjoying the different approach. Sad thing, out of all the FF games I've played (which were many) I only completed XIII because I borrowed the game from a friend. Completed it in 2-3 days. It never got better. It actually got worse, and really stupid at the end story-wise and character personality-wise. I actually loved that I didn't have to grind extra to complete the game, tho. I would have completed X had I not screwed myself saving just before the Sin battle with no prior save. My under leveled characters stood no chance in the fight. Did get a friends' save to see the end but damn all that time invested to get to point where I would have to replay the entire game again. I liked the story of this, even though there are some pretty stupid logic used at times. I've also completed the main story arc for A World Reborn where Scions of the Seventh Dawn become the governing faction for all and build a new HQ, and the follow up story of an ancient tower. Started going through Hildibrand quests but those eventually turned me off from playing the game further. It opened up some fun raid dungeons and a fight with Gilgamesh but the stories are just too goofy. Not being able to improve on my character or gear was getting dull.
When I don't want serious responsibility: NIN When I wants some amount of responsibility and fast queues: SCH When I want to feel like the main character: WAR
@@CodexEntry really awesome, considering my understanding of modern strategy guides was they were just low-effort walls of ugly text like you could find on a gameFAQs walkthrough. If you had a hand in this im sure its sensible and easy to look at! I'll check out the guide!
I used to hate 13 but I grew to really like it during my second playthrough. Also about 14 it's the game I really want but I'll probably never be able to get because I don't want to buy a subscription for a game I don't feel like I'll be consistent with
Gonna be talking about this in a video in the near future, but the biggest thing I'll say is don't think of it as FF14, the MMO with three expansions, but as FF14, FF14-2, FF14-3, and FF14-4, all bundled together for 40 dollars. It's basically 4 fantastic games hot glued together via a main quest that acts as the through line for all of them. That main quest is the real draw, and is what I'm actually generally recommending when I'm recommending FF14. Though like I said, that main quest is basically 4 full length FF games in one, so it can be a major time investment to complete, but if you commit to seeing the end of it, you should be able to see the end of it before two month pass, and that assuming really casually play. All of this to say that your probably going to wind up paying between 60-75 dollars to get the real experience of the game, which isn't much more than most new games + DLC these days. That said, it's your money, spend it how you feel most comfortable. I'll be doing something where I run through the story at some point, but for now all I can really say is that I strongly feel it's worth it.
@@CodexEntry Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on 14 with me. I'll consider buying and playing it during this quarantine after ff7 remake. I played a bit of it before on ps3 during the beta for a realm reborn and again during the free trial on ps4 and I really enjoyed what I played. I feel like I'll really be able to get into the game after I graduate and won't have to worry about classes anymore. This reply was longer than I intended it to be, but thanks again man and I look forward to your retrospective videos.
@@CodexEntry Which makes it something I didn't even know existed and certainly reinforces the point. I assume it was a bad game, given that it's mobile and how you were using it... I've got a real soft spot for FF:tactics in my memory and nostalgia for it is kind of inescapable when I think of FF - VI, IX, and X are pretty high up on the list too for me.
@@riotintheair It's a good game, playing through it for the first time myself right now. Def gonna be a video on it as well as all the other games you mentioned at some point.
The point of the first Final Fantasy game was: “we are going bankrupt, here is the best we can do with what’s going on in gaming now, please enjoy our take on it.” And every game has followed that ethos ever since. It’s really not too complicated if you take each game on its own terms
I will never get why people hype up FFIX so much. I never managed to beat it, i tried at least 3 times and i just don't like the characters (except Vivi) and the combat system is the most boring in the series.
![Perhaps, This is Hell: SIGNALIS (Summary & Analysis) [Feat. SulMatul]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/lkkB3G9aIKU/mqdefault.jpg)
Hey ya'll, thanks for watching, hope you enjoyed! This is going to be the first part of a broader series where I look at various pieces of Final Fantasy as a franchise, from games to films to some of the specific people behind it, so I hope this works as a general introduction for those who are currently unfamiliar with the way of the chocobo. If you enjoyed this, it'd mean a lot if you considered helping me out over on Patreon. Just a dollar or two can go a long way to helping keep things rolling. www.patreon.com/codexentry
Going to be uploading every Monday for the foreseeable future, so be sure to sub and ring the bell to make sure you don't miss out. Thanks again for watching, see ya again next week, peace.
unironically i was playing FF14 *WHILE* watching this video,since my friends strongarmed me into playing it with the quarantine and all,and everyone even you says Shadowbringers is a masterpiece..
It's cause it is
I would really love to see a video on all the non mainline final fantasy games
The last youtubers that I see trying to revisit the series are on this journey for the last 3 -7 years so good luck with this videos.
You weren’t wrong 😂
"9 is basically perfect"
Yep, I see no issue with this statement.
Six and Seven say Hi. Basically 7 is ALL that matters. LOL
Yeah it's such a shame it released in the wrong time
I love 9 because it has castles and kingdoms etc.
XIV is exceptional. I'm glad they are taking steps to make it accessible for people who prefer to play solo too.
Quality placement of crystal chronicles ost :DDD
I need the Switch remaster something fierce, been wanting to replay that game properly for years but didn't wanna have to deal with GBAs and link cables
Missed this video somehow. Glad to have given it a watch. I had that "I've taken this series for granted" feeling when I went to Distant Worlds and heard the prelude. Been with the franchise since the first, but Final Fantasy IV was the one that taught me at the age of 7 that games weren't just... well, games. When I was in the audience and heard that prelude play, I was immediately transported back to that 7 year-old kid in the living room that woke up at like 5am on a Saturday morning and just listened to the title screen of the game because it captured emotions that I wasn't old enough to understand yet.
I'm "unofficially" trying to go through the franchise myself, but unfortunately I suck at getting stuff done in a timely manner so who knows when the next FF video will be. I wish you much better luck than I've faced (which considering you've put out two videos this month after professionally writing a game guide... I mean, sounds like you'll have no problem on that front).
I'd totally be down to hear about what it was like working on the AC guide lol
"9 is basically perfect" and "one of the best jrpgs ever" (in reference to 12) are like music to my ears :D
Did you just called dissdia bad? I mean opinions I guess but that seems like an outrages statmeant. I have not played NT yet but Dissidia 012 is a fantastic game.
Also I need to play FF9 at some point. I only got a very surface level impresion but that Vivi guy seem the typ of character I enjoy.
I wonder If my Laptop can run the game. I did not bought it fore gaming pourpeses and I am actully more of a consule gamer but I heard about this cool mode that makes the backrounds lock better.
I have no idea what your laptop specs are but if I could guess I think any decent laptop from the last 10 years would run PS1 emulation.
I'm giving a big lali-ho to this series idea! This sounds amazing and I can't wait to see every episode. Keep up the amazing work Ryan.
I've never played FF before in my life. Somehow every time i felt all too overwealming to enter it. I hope that with your series i finally can try some =)
Whatever the XIII series was aside, Lightning Returns is a criminally underrated game in the franchise. It's easily the best game in the XIII series and I'd consider it one of the best Final Fantasy games overall. It had the full RPG package, reminding me of older games in the series that were packed with meaningful side content, alternate endings, many loose ends finally tied up, and arguably the most character development of any of the XIII games (XIII-2 had "character development" but in the same way that a bag of chips is "full" when it's mostly air).
The gameplay was fun, the world was very much fleshed out without much in the way of dead space (unlike the original XIII game), and there's meaningful and enjoyable replay value after you beat the game with the new game plus unlocks (an entirely new upgrade system, even). The "time limit" in the game was very lenient but it lent a sense of progression as you played it, recuperating at the end of each day and seeing the results from what you did earlier paying off. The combat is probably some of the best in the entire series, finally making the "active turn-based" style work and allowing a huge number of playstyles (or even abusing the system if you know what you're doing).
The story felt engaging and like it had stakes that the player could be involved in finally for the first time in the XIII series, where the others wasted too much time skipping between *way* too many characters to tell their individual stories and leaving the player feeling disjointed from the experience.
Lightning Returns was simply fun, it's one of the only FF games I put the effort in to 100% clear and beat the superbosses in, besides V, IX, X, and X-2. It's one of the first games in the franchise I'd recommend to newcomers, since it's recent enough to not be offputting with archaic systems and holds up as a standalone game even without the FF branding.
ff13 worst in series, lighting worst protagonist. (all are guilty, mother died! Hope blame, promised to defend sister? Snow blame I'll beat him, not a hero but sc u m)
I don't think it's even quite fair to call FF1 "Tolkien inspired." I mean, sure, technically it is, but only in the same way that virtually all fantasy is Tolkien inspired, on some level. I think the truth is actually weirder, and sets the stage for all the weirdness of the series to come.
It's really more based on D&D, except as interpretted by someone who had no idea how the rules work, through the lens of DragonQuest. So, Tolkien-inspired, but reflected and refracted off several fun-house mirrors. It's sort of like how Dark Souls was famously inspired by Miyazaki reading western-style fantasy and appreciating the art, but not really having any idea what's actually going on.
It's taking the familiar, but wrapping it up in a strange, uniquely Japanese package. It really stands to reason that the series could only develop into something even more weird.
I'm so glad I went against my fears and gave FF14 a chance. I still get chills thinking about walking through the gates of judgment and seeing Ishgard for the first time.
Though I love 9, the one thing I don't think it is is perfect. The game is very disjointed, scattered even, but that ends up not being a big problem in the end.
FF13 is a tough game to love but it came to me in a time where I was really learning about myself and basically pushed me along into realizing I was trans. Is it a bad game? Yes. Do I still love it? Also yes. That said, prior to Shadowbringers if you'd ask me what the best FF game was I would have said "Chrono Trigger"
Codex Entry: FFXV is a fine game.
Noctis walks up to item. Prompt tells you to press X button. Noctis jumps.
It's always interesting for me to listen to Final Fantasy fans talking about this series, since I have missed the FF Hype train despite beating several games, including the entire compilation of FF7.
The remake is a disgrace
I am so glad more people are having these conversations. Even if most of the games are good, the name Final Fantasy means nothing, when they announce a new game lord only knows what you are going to get.
That's crazy. I remember wanting to play every main final fantasy game in university and stopped after 3rd. Because each individual game was taking me around 6-8 months to finish. Maybe it was because of my studies, but I never got back to play FFIV
Really great video! I'm still new to playing final fantasy games, as I've only played Final Fantasy XV, but the game definitely got me interested in the series. It's a bit confusing as to which other games I should play as there are just so many of them and so many different opinions on which ones are the best (with the exception of Final Fantasy VII, which seems to be universally loved)
7 is definitely the most important one to play as it was not only really vital to the series, but it's also still arguably the best. Personally, while 7 is my favorite, I think 9 is the best one overall. If you're not big on the graphics of the PS1 games though, then either 6 or 10 or even 14 might be the best start for you.
@@CodexEntry I'll look into those then. Thanks for the advice!
I love FF13, fight me. But for real it was actually my first FF and I’ve since played many entries in the series new and old and I really do love this franchise. FF13 is by no means a perfect game, but it is among the good titles in the franchise imo.
You actually worked at Nintendo after that video? That's suprising, but still awesome
Great video, can't wait for you to make some great analysis videos about the ff games.
The part with realization that FF is weird made me chuckle.
3 years ago???? jeez this is good. just clicked from the newest Eva video.
I hear people talk about FF getting weird after like 7 but, come on, the series has been a funk fest since the very beginning.
FF1: An RPG made because Dragon Quest was popular... By a team of developers that didn't even know what HP was
FF2: Dump jobs and the leveling system out the window to attempt making a dark story... On NES in the 80s
FF3: Actually no, lets go back to jobs and deepen them more as well as the leveling system but make some stuff oddly rare
FF4: SCREW JOBS AGAIN, no more turns, you get funky time bars, let's attempt another focus at a story but kinda give the characters the jobs to each
FF5: Back to jobs again with the most in-depth version of the system at that point but make the story goofy
FF6: Look at 4 but like, we finished the game earlier than expected and made the best part of it as an after thought
FF7: Threeee Deeee and a really in-depth customization that almost makes each character lose their uniqueness, only 3 party members in battle at a time, g r a p h i c s
FF8: Make it so open ended that the game is aggressively exploitable, make it really American because FF7 was a hit there, also make the story wackier than before even
FF9: Ok 8 clearly wasn't the best idea so lets go back to something like 6 with the characters and make the characters chibi after trying to be realistic in the previous games
FF10: Make the game more lineal than before, DUMP the funky time bars and instead you're turn-based but can manipulate turns with your actions, also barely even hints at being medieval
FF11: Screw it, MMO. Oh and let's go back to the jobs, those were neat
FF12: People liked Tactics so lets get the fella from that to work on a mainline game and maybe we could use a similar combat system to 11- oh wait the director has health issues due to work, uhhhh, someone else complete it. Oh and make the protag a teen lad, that's popular, adult men aren't. OH and make it aggressively open
FF13: Ok apparently people hated how open the last one was (in Japan) so lets make this next one a literal hallway. Hey, FF10 guy, get over here. Oh you want the game to be like a movie? Sure
FF14: Let's do an MMO again- why is everything on fire
FF14ARR: OK let's try this again, get the guy who designed the battle system for 4, let's literally kill the original and make this the best we can. Oh hey, people REALLY like this!
FF15: Crap, Nomura's had that 13 spin-off in development hell for a decade now, freakin... We need him to work on KH3, what to do... Well, there's a lot done with it, and even if it's an action game, ehhhh, we've already changed how battles work a lot before, right? Alright, get the Agito- I mean Type-0 to trim it down and let's release it as 15, it's probably big enough to be a mainline game.
I'm feeling the vibe of your analysis big time. I drifted after 13, but then about a year ago I started a deep dive into all Square RPGs (an utterly bizarre experience that I've stopped questioning and am simply leaning into.) Many of the things you say in this video resonate with my own thoughts. In the last year I've played Xenogears, Chrono Trigger, 1, 7, 7 Remake, 8, 9, 10, 10-2, 12, 13, and 14. I look forward to watching more of your videos.
Unpopular opinion but I enjoy most Final Fantasy games since VII till now at a varying degree, yes that includes XIII and most of the spinoff
Haven't played I-VI and probably never will but I would love to see a remake of them one day
i just can’t get into the new final fantasy games because its weird..
im more focused on the realism even if its fantasy but when i tried 10 its just absurd.
seeing ff15 i saw they can ride cars but still uses swords and magic wands? 🤦♂️
Yo! Hope youre doing ok glad to see another video from you again
Great to see you back! Great to see you talking about final fantasy but will you ever talk about nier or even dmc5?
At this point, Nier will get talked about when the reboot approaches, and DMC5 will come when everyone least expects it (or an SE, whichever comes first)
@@CodexEntry holy shit you responded! I love your content, keep up the great work! Also which is your favorite all time best ff?
Going through every FF game. I started that at the beginning of my adult years. I wanted to say "I beat every mainline Final Fantasy" so I set out to do it. Get some older final fantasy, *ahem* downloaded on my computer so I could use a nifty "speed up" function. And you'll blaze through quite a few of the older titles. Granted, I still haven't done so yet because I'm a terrible person. But, since college, I've beaten FF1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10-2, 13, 13-2 and 15. I'm not a fan of MMOs so obviously I skipped 11 and 14 and it's probably no coincidence that the one Final Fantasy I have trouble actually sitting down and completing is 12, the most MMO-y single player one among them. I think if I get it on my switch, I'll finally beat it (as I grow older, I find myself drawn to the handhelds that let me play and watch something at the same time). But yeah, with the new releases of 7, 8 and 9 with their speed up function, + having the older games on...R...O..M...S... (I know but, in my defense, I have bought copies of the older FF games from Square. They got my money, I just want to be able to have a fast-forward button when I'm playing games), playing through FF games have never been better.
Finally someone mentioned this, i remember getting into the series and my jaw dropping to the floor when i saw how many cheap and weird spinoffs this series has
"An offline Massive Multiplayer Online (game)" 5:16
This is probably one of the best FF videos I've seen, you kinda hit the nail on the head when you said that the series is trying to become whatever it wants.
I'm pretty sure a Persona 5 The Royal video is in the near future for this channel. Matter of fact, I'm 100% sure.
I wouldn't get your hopes up too much lol
@@CodexEntry NOOOOOOOOOooooooooooo..... you're mean!!😫
@@shinbakihanma2749 Sorry homie, but I'm mildly fried on Persona and Royal really does not seem to add/change much that was worth changing from what I've seen that I feel inspired to rant about it. Couple that with the fact that the algorithm doesn't seem to like Persona content rn and it's hard for me to justify focusing on it *too much*. Part 6 & 7 will most likely be out within the next few months though and I'm going to try my hardest to finish the whole series this year.
Codex Entry Yeah, I thought as much. I do think Royal adds a nice chunk of added content, but nothing that can’t be saved for a small post-analysis discussion of some kind. Nothing to rush to right now. Can’t wait for Parts 6 and 7, but more importantly in the present, I’m really excited to see some Final Fantasy content. Especially with 7 Remake coming out.
"FF is a weird series"
That's what makes it awesome.
yeah, you get it
I've been fascinated by Brave Exvius. I spoiled the main story by reading the main character's wiki, but there are still enough events going on that keep me surprised.
Finally you tackled this series! After watching your previous videos on the Persona series I am excited for this. Good luck to you since this is a massive series!
HE'S ALIVE!!!!11!!! Good to have you back nerd, much love
2:32 hey now, nomura only provided the character designs, that second person was ACTUALLY Motomu Toriyama
3:07 how fucking dare you
5:45 i can't tell if you're the second person to mistakenly call cup noodles top ramen or just referencing the guy i'm thinking of
I look forward to it. I'll be honest, I am kind of a embittered FF classicist at this point, with my favorites really being VI, VII, VIII and IX. I've tried several of the games that you mentioned, and I guess I experienced something similar. It's almost like, in seeing this franchise become essentially everything that is possible to make, I became desensitized to it, and almost to JRPG's in general, to the point where the only head turners in recent memory are Persona 5 (by the way, see you in 2025, Akechi video) and Radiant Historia.
With that in mind, I am excited to see what you say and see if I can break out of the embittered state. It's to my detriment, after all. In any case, I look forward to seeing something fresh, or at least look at some stuff I've merely glanced at with a more charitable perspective. Glad to have you back.
Oh, and Aerith body pillow on the way.
This is basically where I was at about a year ago, but honestly, really recommend trying to replay X with an open heart if you can and giving 14 a try. X is way better than I remember and while FF14 starts a little slow, once you get to the first xpac it becomes just as good as any of those. I was super done with FF before this with 0 plans to pay super close attention to the franchise again, and now I'm planning the next couple months of my life around it. That's how good it is. Also, it does fanservice really, really well.
@@CodexEntry I remember you saying on Twitter that 14 feels like a proper numbered FF game, gave you an experience like playing the old ones at a younger age, which is the most compelling reason I've had to play it. That said, I'm not an MMO guy, and while I definitely saw there is something to legitimately love, it seemed a little impenetrable, if that makes sense. Also, I didn't have much time back then, and I couldn't get into a rhythm for it, so I fell off. Now that we're all essentially staying home, I might get a chance to dedicate some time to it, but there's that other small FF game about to come out which might prevent me from doing that.
Also, I like 10 (but nowhere near as much as the previous ones), so I might give it another chance if I have time, I mean it has been ages, so really I only remember thinking I liked it, so it might be a quasi new experience. I actually really enjoyed XII on the Switch a short while ago (which I didn't originally play, this was my first time with it). So hey, it's an opportunity to fall in love again.
A well-said response to the creative complexity and resulting quagmire that is the current landscape of Final Fantasy. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on each!
-F
p.s. I agree; FFXIV is lit. I'm playing it right now myself.
my favorites are 4, 6, 9
standin real fine
hope that you remember them just one more time
get low
get low
get low
get low
get low
get low
then 7 and X
Square Enix is Michael Jackson and final fantasy 7 is thriller. Final fantasy 9 is bad. Ff15 is...history
I was so relieved when I realized u meant BAD the album, and u weren’t actually just calling FF9 bad lmao
no one i follow has ever really talked about ff4 and it was the first final fantasy game i ever played bc my mom got it for me on account of it being popular or something? so i wonder about it sometimes. It was my absolute favourite game I'd ever gotten at the time and still about the only final fantasy game (that matters. considering my mom got me 13 as well years later. thanks mom) that I've ever had access to. a lot of them are console games and as is probably obvious now my access to them was... limited. and now I'm just broke haha. gonna have a look on steam to see which ones that you've talked about are available
It's been 3 years and I don't see any FF retrospectives besides Advent Children 🤔
tbh I've been wanting to write some essays about my feelings for FFXIV, it's so damn good
yeah, kinda fell through when the first few parts under performed and I got into Patho, but I def got more FF content planned in future, 14 especially
Did Square sell out? "Hell yeah, we sold out. We sell out everywhere we go." -- Any rock star
I always feel like I'm in the minority with FF13. It does take like 20-ish hours before it opens up, but once it does HO BOY is it amazing. I think I spent more time on 13 than I did with 7. Plus 13-2 imo is the best FF game in the mainline series.
Hey!
Dissidia 012 was good. :(
dude you cant just say that the dissidia games are bad, NT sure but dissidia 012 duodecim was THE shit on the psp along with crisis core and it proved that even psp games can have solid combat systems that were really fun.
I'm here after 7 remake and 16 announcements wonder if his thoughts are the same
I really need to get back to FFOnline. Finally discovered Type-0 video game after knowing about it for 2 years from the TCG, and am enjoying the different approach.
Sad thing, out of all the FF games I've played (which were many) I only completed XIII because I borrowed the game from a friend. Completed it in 2-3 days. It never got better. It actually got worse, and really stupid at the end story-wise and character personality-wise. I actually loved that I didn't have to grind extra to complete the game, tho.
I would have completed X had I not screwed myself saving just before the Sin battle with no prior save. My under leveled characters stood no chance in the fight. Did get a friends' save to see the end but damn all that time invested to get to point where I would have to replay the entire game again. I liked the story of this, even though there are some pretty stupid logic used at times.
I've also completed the main story arc for A World Reborn where Scions of the Seventh Dawn become the governing faction for all and build a new HQ, and the follow up story of an ancient tower. Started going through Hildibrand quests but those eventually turned me off from playing the game further. It opened up some fun raid dungeons and a fight with Gilgamesh but the stories are just too goofy. Not being able to improve on my character or gear was getting dull.
My body is ready
which game is at 5:25 when he says "want a masterpiece"? sorry, I'm more of an old school ff fan(X and older)
FF14’s latest expansion, Shadowbringers
@@CodexEntry thanks, man! keep up the dope content and stay safe!
Ooh, Someone's doing the Eden raids.
What class do you main, Ryan?
When I don't want serious responsibility: NIN
When I wants some amount of responsibility and fast queues: SCH
When I want to feel like the main character: WAR
@@CodexEntry So sam got it.
I’m playing the tenth game right now and oh shit this is weird
Did you get reached out to because of your design videos to do a strategy guide? Or have you been known to do strategy guides in the past?
The former
@@CodexEntry really awesome, considering my understanding of modern strategy guides was they were just low-effort walls of ugly text like you could find on a gameFAQs walkthrough. If you had a hand in this im sure its sensible and easy to look at! I'll check out the guide!
You mean toriyama? Nomura only had to do with illustrations of 13
You forgot about Bravely Default and Bravely Second :(
I used to hate 13 but I grew to really like it during my second playthrough. Also about 14 it's the game I really want but I'll probably never be able to get because I don't want to buy a subscription for a game I don't feel like I'll be consistent with
Gonna be talking about this in a video in the near future, but the biggest thing I'll say is don't think of it as FF14, the MMO with three expansions, but as FF14, FF14-2, FF14-3, and FF14-4, all bundled together for 40 dollars. It's basically 4 fantastic games hot glued together via a main quest that acts as the through line for all of them. That main quest is the real draw, and is what I'm actually generally recommending when I'm recommending FF14. Though like I said, that main quest is basically 4 full length FF games in one, so it can be a major time investment to complete, but if you commit to seeing the end of it, you should be able to see the end of it before two month pass, and that assuming really casually play. All of this to say that your probably going to wind up paying between 60-75 dollars to get the real experience of the game, which isn't much more than most new games + DLC these days. That said, it's your money, spend it how you feel most comfortable. I'll be doing something where I run through the story at some point, but for now all I can really say is that I strongly feel it's worth it.
@@CodexEntry Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on 14 with me. I'll consider buying and playing it during this quarantine after ff7 remake. I played a bit of it before on ps3 during the beta for a realm reborn and again during the free trial on ps4 and I really enjoyed what I played. I feel like I'll really be able to get into the game after I graduate and won't have to worry about classes anymore. This reply was longer than I intended it to be, but thanks again man and I look forward to your retrospective videos.
FF:Tactics came out in 1997... Hardly a game produced between ffxiii and ffxv.
Good thing I was talking about Final Fantasy Tactics S released in 2013 for mobile phones in Japan then.
@@CodexEntry Which makes it something I didn't even know existed and certainly reinforces the point. I assume it was a bad game, given that it's mobile and how you were using it...
I've got a real soft spot for FF:tactics in my memory and nostalgia for it is kind of inescapable when I think of FF - VI, IX, and X are pretty high up on the list too for me.
@@riotintheair It's a good game, playing through it for the first time myself right now. Def gonna be a video on it as well as all the other games you mentioned at some point.
Basically, NOTHING WILL TOP VII IN THE FRANCHISE. NOTHING. Except X But "we know its a prequel to VII" nudge nudge wink wink.
Oh, how much i wish i could Get final fantasy 10. i just.. can't. both it and 8 just.. bore me to no end.
Id lose my mind if I won 20$ from a scratch card.
Great video btw
The point of the first Final Fantasy game was: “we are going bankrupt, here is the best we can do with what’s going on in gaming now, please enjoy our take on it.” And every game has followed that ethos ever since. It’s really not too complicated if you take each game on its own terms
I’m into it dude. Bring on the fantasy, finally
Final Fantasy Dimensions was awesome though. It's a lot like FF5
"Ff7 define a generation" Is that supposed imply that it's not anymore cause it's still deafening many rpg.
Intro ost sounds a bit familiar
Le Bro it was FF14’s version of the prelude
@@CodexEntry
No wonder I heard this in MHW before because of the Collab between FFXIV and MHW.
Oh, so this is a trailer for a future series?
Less a trailer, more of a general introduction and history for those who don't know it, but if you wanna look at it that way I wouldn't say your wrong
Ahhh yes now with the release of ffvii remake we are back to the days of people shitting all over xiii my favorite game in the series
If you love it, I'm nothing but happy for you, I sincerely wish I did.
He doesn’t talk much on the first greatest mmo. FF11
Thanks!
Thank YOU ^^
Cool video. So glad you paid FF12 some love :)
great video but how DARE you call Dissidia 012 a bad game
Ok, but just know that I will defend FFVIII with MY LIFE.
I'm sorry for what I'm going to do to that game, but please believe me when i say i tried to love it harder than I've ever tried to love anything
Glad there are still real ones out there who will admit Lightning is like the worst protag in FF
15 hurt pretty bad, I thought I had sworn off all Square titles forever after that... but maybe I'll try 14 and FF7R with an open mind.
One of the best gaming franchises for a reason
I will never get why people hype up FFIX so much. I never managed to beat it, i tried at least 3 times and i just don't like the characters (except Vivi) and the combat system is the most boring in the series.
Four Heroes of Light buttered my muffin sO HARD