Era, What Are Your Three Favorite Mainline Final Fantasy Games Since Final Fantasy X?

[PumpkinPieAddict]

10 > 15 >>>>> 14 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 12

Basically 10 and 15 are in their own league. 14 I'm working through but it's lows are very low. Highs are very spaced out. 12 (vanilla) is among the worst FF I've played. Didn't play 11 or 13.

 

[Terranigma]

None, I fell off the FF wagon X and after.

 

[OrangeNova]

... 3? X and XII were all I really enjoyed of the mainline games of the options presented.

XI never grabbed me and I was playing WoW at the time.
XIII just hit resistance hard with me getting into the Persona series and playing P4.
XIV, played before the end of the world, played after, I just played too much WoW and the UI/Zone transitions made me angry.
XV was such a trainwreck that I beat the game and if anyone asked me how the combat worked I don't know if I could answer it.

I am excited for XVI though :p

 

[Tornak]

It's not even close:

Even back in 2006, despite being kinda grumpy about the game being so different (I was 12 and the PSX trilogy was what I had come to know and love about FF), I could see how much of a feat XII was. By no means is it flawless (I wish it had a tiny bit more impact in its narrative and characters), but it's one of the greatest games for PS2 and the series itself.

XIII... it's for sure not bad at all, but I dislike much of the story, cast (designs and all) and game structure. I admit I was a bit more unfair than the game deserved because of the series becoming a XIII saga for 7 years. If there's a next-gen remaster, I'd be excited for sure. As for XV, it was a huge dissapointment, both throught my expectations (their fault and mine) and the game being very flawed. But I still rate it higher than XIII and it's a genuinely nice game with some great moments and an ending that, while unearned to a degree, is among the most emotional I can think of right now. I'm not an MMO player, so I've only played a few hours of XIV, which I really want to get into, but no luck thus far. Maybe in the coming months. I can see its quality, but I just can't get past the combat and some other stuff.

All in all, XII is undisputably the first (FF VII Remake would be second if it counted; if not, XV). I just need more than what XIII and XV offered me in the future.

Hopefully XVI is that return to form for brand new releases: not just decent-to-good games, but genuinely great ones. I feel we haven't had one since XII.

 

[Super Mega Man]

FFVII Remake should really be included here. That's my favorite mainline FF since the PS1 days.

 

[astro]

X, XII, and XV by far.

X is just a classic, it feels like the last "classic" FF to me.

Excellent battle system, some really great party members (including Tidus), interesting world and world building, the linear design has enough exploration to make it interesting, and an effective and sometimes beautiful story.

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XII is FF in MMO's clothing and it's weird. Very compelling systems, some great characters, but the balance is busted. About a third of the way in you can easily have bought the majority of every licence bored, and the lack of traditional skills and spells really hurts gameplay. Gambit system is great, like really great. If only the systems that went with it were more interesting... Still, it is a good game.

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XV.... What a mess. It's unfinished, has a poorly told story, makes waste of some important characters, has a beautiful but entirely pointpess open world, boring quest design, summons look amazing but you might never even see most of them...

The relationship between the four friends is one of the best examples of well written characters in the series. Endlessly charming, funny, heartfelt. The visuals are incredible at tiems (on PC even more so), it has some of the best dungeon designs of all time, it has maybe the best ending in the wnitre franchise.

The battle system, imo, is again messy but you can have fun with it. Going to no damage runs and the most efficient combos shows how this system with a little more care could have been something special.

Overall, it is one of the most prominent examples of a flawed gem in gaming.

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XIV is good, I got really into it at launch (ARR) and got my Relic +1s and devoured all end-game. Tried to get back into it but the obnoxious post-game quests and dull story that you have to grind through to get to the good end-gam has defeated me multiple times. I'm only just at the second Stormblood quest.

If it didn't have so much obnoxious fetch quest story grind it might replace XII. I know you can pay to skip but I don't want to do that on top of a sub.

 

[Disclaimer]

I don't do MMOs so no 11 or 14. I did try a tiny bit of 11 in the distant past, if a decent chunk of it can be solo'd still I may give it another shot on steam in the future.

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Good news: it's entirely soloable up to the endgame, including parts of that. All of the story is easily soloable except for the very last fight, which you'll just need one person to help real quick with.

The game used to require a party to do virtually anything — which, while "bad" from a QoL standpoint, made for an intensely social experience — but nowadays you can summon a party of NPC story characters ("trusts") who are more powerful than any player would be sub-level cap.

The MMOs are obviously disqualified. 11 and 14 are FF games in name only.

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I guess if we ignore their distinctly Final Fantasy worlds, races, monsters, spells, themes, etc.? Haha.

Can't speak for XIV, but XI has an immersive world with 20 years worth of great Final Fantasy stories & characters. It also features menu-based real time combat, and plays like a dream with a controller. It's peak FF.

 

[thetrin]

X, XII, and XIV.

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

XIV is the only one of that group I really loved. The rest were mostly all okay, but nothing that stuck with me. XIV is the only MMO that ever grabbed me. There is just something about it that clicks with me.

 

[IrishNinja]

wish i'd have enjoyed any of these options as much as i did XII, really miss ivalice

 

[Anustart]

X-2 and 12.

13 was so bad I've stopped looking at the series.

 

[antitrop]

XIV, VIIR, and XII.

 

[Man Called Aerodynamics]

Easy choices. XII is my all time favorite FF game. XIII is a top five. And I have several hundred hours clocked in A Realm Reborn.

 

[digitalrelic]

X, XI, and XIII for me.

Didn't care for XII, thought XV was terrible, and never played XIV.

I actually enjoyed the linearity and vibe of XIII, and I've got very fond memories of XI from years ago.

 

[Damn Silly]

XII by a distance and then maybe just about XIII. Not played XI or XIV, and I didn't enjoy X or XV to ever consider them a favourite.

But yeah, XII is top stuff.

 

[Xavi]

XIII is one of my favorite FF games, then XIV and X.

 

[UraMallas]

There's only three single player ones after X so this is incredibly easy.

XII, XIII, XV

 

[Azriell]

FFXI, FFXI Rise of the Zilart, FFXI Treasures of Aht Urghan.

XI, X, XII

 

[Ferrs]

I go with XI because it has the most inmersive world. Truly a lively breathing world like no other (even if that means lack of QOL) and it also has the best lore (mind you, not story, not writting, lore) of all these games.

Followed by XIV, XV, X, XI and XIII.

Didnt know XIV was that beloved. I loved XI so maybe I should check it out?

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XIV is really good but it's also a vastly different experience than prime XI. Basically old school vs post WoW MMO experience.

 

[GattsuSama]

I think 11 and 14 should not count as they are not mainline in the traditional way. I knmow 14 is praised, but I have not had the time to go over the good bits and I doubt I can. Never touched 11.

But after X? Only 15 has come close to their former glory and it still had a lot of flaws.

Even FF7R had some issues though it has been the closest to classic games yet.

To me it feels as tech grew and they focused on in game fidelity a lot of what made FF game great went away or took a backseat. Back in the day FF game were know to me as AAA releases that had among the best CG cutscene. GAmes looked okish but the whoel package was amazing.

Seem games now look better but have lost a lot of the magic of the PS1 and SNES days.

So for someone that has not really experienced the story in 14 beyond the initial year of Realm Reborn, why is it called so good? How does it compare to 6 and 7?

 

[Ezra]

XIV is my favorite FF game. XII is on my top 5 and X is great.

 

[Ferrs]

I think 11 and 14 should not count as they are not mainline in the traditional way. I knmow 14 is praised, but I have not had the time to go over the good bits and I doubt I can. Never touched 11.

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XII is basically XI: offline and it's counted. There's no reason to not count the MMO games. Even Sakaguchi was adamant on counting XI as a mainline game.

 

[Berordn]

How did you include 3 and 5 but not 4 and 9

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I actually meant to include 4 but 9's kinda divisive.

 

[Deleted member 81119]

People are still arguing XI and XIV aren't mainline games? Okay.

 

[Acquiescence]

X - 9.5/10
XII - 4/10
XIII - 6.5/10
XV - 6/10

Don't touch MMOs with a 60ft barge pole, so I haven't played XI or XIV.

 

[mhayes86]

Just X and XV for me.

X despite the loss of a world map still felt like a traditional FF game coming off the tail of VII-IX, and I really enjoyed the story and characters.

I initially liked XI when I played it back in 2004, but got bored really quickly since I didn't have friends playing it and got sick of the camp > kite > wipe > disband cycle followed by an hour of sitting around looking for another party. I bored of the story in XII and dropped it, and while I enjoyed XIII initially, going back to it again later I really didn't enjoy it. Never played XIV since I dropped MMOs after WoW in 2006. XV with all its issues (pre chapter 13? patch) I still enjoyed for the most part.

 

[Ashilyn]

XI, XIII, and XIV here.

I'll never understand what people see in XII, but I like XIII so I guess most people would say the same to me.

 

[Kalentan]

The MMOs are obviously disqualified. 11 and 14 are FF games in name only.

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[Duxxy3]

I lost interest in the series after X.

 

[N7_Kovalski]

Heavensward - FFX > Shadowbringers > Stormblood >> ARR >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> FFXV. Never played XI and didn't play enough of XII or XIII.

 

[Mr. Poolman]

I haven't played XI and XIV, but this is easy.
FFX and FFXII.

FFXIII is probably my least liked FF ever, and FFXV was a slog.

 

[Berordn]

The MMOs are obviously disqualified. 11 and 14 are FF games in name only.

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11 and 14 are direct successors to the legacies and systems of 3 and 5

11 even directly inspired the mechanics of 12

 

[GattsuSama]

XII is basically XI: offline and it's counted. There's no reason to not count the MMO games. Even Sakaguchi was adamant on counting XI as a mainline game.

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I have nothing against them counting, but they are not as accessible as the other mainline titles who are basically single player RPGS.

I played little below 100 hrs in Realm Reborn and the story was underwhelming to that point. I know it picks up, but the commitment needed being that big is a turn off for some.

That is why I will defer the opinion to others as whole,.but I think it should count against it a little bit.

 

[Deadpool_X]

Uh...99% of my FF favorites are before FF X. XII is the only good one in my opinion since IX(not including XIV as MMO, yadda yadda yadda).

 

[Servbot24]

XII is the best before or after X.

 

[J_ToSaveTheDay]

XIV > XII > X for me, of that stretch of the games.

Honorable mention to XI. It was my first-ever MMORPG and I have fond memories of my time with it, but I'm not going to pretend that it would hold up well if it released in the same state that it released in when I played it at North American launch. It is a game that, by genre standards, absolutely aged poorly. My adult life simply could NOT sustain a FFXI subscription in this day and age -- it is just TOO demanding on time for my life now. I was only able to play and enjoy it when I did because I was in high school. I feel strongly that other people would question my judgment if I recommended it to them in this day and age, too... but for the relatively brief window that I was able to and did play it, it was pretty awesome.

 

[Disclaimer]

Honorable mention to XI. It was my first-ever MMORPG and I have fond memories of my time with it, but I'm not going to pretend that it would hold up well if it released in the same state that it released in when I played it at North American launch. It is a game that, by genre standards, absolutely aged poorly. My adult life simply could NOT sustain a FFXI subscription in this day and age -- it is just TOO demanding on time for my life now. I was only able to play and enjoy it when I did because I was in high school. I feel strongly that other people would question my judgment if I recommended it to them in this day and age, too... but for the relatively brief window that I was able to and did play it, it was pretty awesome.

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Are you under the impression that XI has remained in the state of QoL/time unfriendliness that it was back then? Because it hasn't. Very different now, a lot more casual. Teleports everywhere, almost all endgame activities take only 5-30min a run, leveling 1-99 can be done solo in an afternoon after your first job, story is entirely soloable.

 

[J_ToSaveTheDay]

Are you under the impression that XI has remained in the state of QoL/time unfriendliness that it was back then? Because it hasn't. Very different now, a lot more casual. Teleports everywhere, almost all endgame activities take only 5-30min a run, leveling 1-99 can be done in an afternoon after your first job, story is entirely soloable.

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if it released in the same state that it released in when I played it at North American launch.

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Just pointing out that I was specifically referring to the state that it was in at North American launch and not its current QOL-heavy state.

Even then though, I'd still just recommend XIV to someone in the here and now.

 

[John Harker]

cool, my vote for 12 just in this moment EXACTLY tied it with 10 at 541.

go 12!

 

[AwShucks]

XIV is probably top three FF games all time for me with 7 and Tactics. XI has some amazing stories that are gated behind the gameplay but I absolutely love the stories it tells. X is great all around and before XIV I would have said was with 7 and Tactics.

 

[SmittyWerbenManJensen]

None of them. Series has really gone downhill since the SNES/PS1 days.

(I haven't played the MMOs, so I can't vouch for them)

 

[We_care_a_lot]

Bold of you to assume most people would have 3 favorites after X lol.

all jokes aside, I picked the MMO's and 12, they are all kind of in the same ecosystem and I love them all dearly for similar reasons.

 

[We_care_a_lot]

XI has some amazing stories that are gated behind the gameplay

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LOL aren't all video game stories gated behind the gameplay?

 

[Apo]

I have only played X, XII and XV but I am inclined to vote just for X and XII since I didn't really like XV.
I wish they would release a XIII remaster collection so I can try that.

 

[bushmonkey]

I may be in the minority but I did not like X. I loved XII and enjoyed quite a lot of XV.

 

[Kirksplosion]

The ones that aren't MMOs.

 

[Keiriks]

X-2 is by far my favorite in the series but since we're ignoring that one it'll have to be X, XII and XIII I guess. XIII is kinda included by default since I never played XI and didn't get past ARR when I tried XIV several years back. Didn't hate XV but it's whatever.

 

[CopyOfACopy]

only played 10 & 11, they were good

 

[AwShucks]

LOL aren't all video game stories gated behind the gameplay?

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I sort of meant that the gameplay isn't great at times, versus the others on my list. I just worded it poorly.

 

[Mauricio_Magus]

10, 12, and 14.

but I'm not exactly passionate about any of them, even if I do want to play 12 again because I only played the original version and I didn't even finish it. Also with 14 I've only finished ARR.