If there is always one thing that I like about Final Fantasy is how it's always a different experience whenever you play it. If there is always one thing that I just don't like about Final Fantasy, it's how the story just doesn't matter any more.

In my own way, I like Final Fantasy. I can live with Final Fantasy and eat Final Fantasy and all that.... but personally, I don't like the stories. The only story that really caught me was in Final Fantasy 6 and even then, I didn't complete it all the way. Then again, if you look at me, I'm a gamer... I play videogames, I enjoy videogames, I love videogames. I don't give a crap if I'm stuck with a gay hero, Disney Characters, Cute Cuddly Pokemon, I don't care about any of that. You ask me "You think Tidus is gay?", I'll ask you "You think Tidus can do strong damage but also maintain his fast speedy attacks with his speed stat?".

But lets look at the new Final Fantasy games that came out, I'm talking about....

Final Fantasy X-2
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
Final Fantasy XI

First off, Final Fantasy X-2. People hate it because it's pop-ish... too happy, all girls, etc etc. I don't care about all that, actually I like the change of mood from FFX because in my opinion, FFX just didn't have enough color.

Next, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, people hate it because of the cost it takes to actually get a multiplayer game going, there is basically no character plot, and we end up with something like Diablo 2, just with cuter characters. Personally, the whole money thing... kinda depends on where the hell you are in the gaming system. If you're a gamer that likes Final Fantasy like me, who probably bought Pokemon or Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, you probably have friends who have the same thing... there goes your money problem. As for plot, RPGs started with absolutely no character development what so EVER... in fact, Final Fantasy I had absolutely nothing on the original characters, you also had to make their names up. And finally, we're stuck with a Dungeon Crawling system... face it, this is a fun game if you give it a try and if you can handle the rest of the Final Fantasy games where you do the same exact thing but without a story and in a non-turn based manner, you'll like it as much as I did.

Finally, Final Fantasy XI... IT'S ONLINE AND IT COSTS ALOTKZORJO#J$O@#$. Face it, It's a MMORPG, it's based on a system that was established a long time ago... of course you're going to have to pay for it no matter what... in fact, you're going to buy all the expansion packs and everything because it's fun... "BUT I RATHER BE PLAYING OTHER FINAL FANTASIES"... look at yourself playing FFX or FF7, you do the same exact thing but without talking to people, you actually end up with a lot more freedom in FFXI rather than some offline RPG game. Safe to say, if you say paying for FFXI is the reason it's crap, you're just not worth talking to.

So what am I saying here? Well, personally I'm rather sick of all the other so called "Final Fantasy fans" or even "Gamers" that put Storyline in front of Gameplay. I'd read a book if I want Storyline or even watch a movie. Lord of the Rings the game would just be like watching the movie if the game wasn't fun (and it was fun). Final Fantasy 7 was fun, I didn't give a crap about Sephiroth or even Aeris, I don't even want to revive Aeris because I KNOW she is an undeveloped character in terms of stats and seriously, who gives a crap about all that doesn't happen in the game?

I'm not saying I ignore storylines at all, I honestly would like to watch Final Fantasy 7: Advent Children, it's just that most fans out there just aren't gamers and with that fact, most fans will cause a shift in reputation of a game. There are not a lot of fans out there for the games I've listed above, mostly because it's all prejudged to hell and no one wishes to comment on how the game feels in your hand rather than your head.

Final Fantasy is game, it does have nice stories. BUT if you're expecting every Final Fantasy to deliver a heart drawn story, throw your PS2 away and get a Dreamcast and pick up games like Ikaruga, Marvel vs Capcom, Power Stone, Sonic Adventure 2, Shenmue, and even Street Fighter 3 and realize that games are games.

If you think a great game is caused by a great story, you're just not going to understand what a game is. Final Fantasy 7 was great because it was fun, the story had nearly nothing to do with replay value and if you admit to this, you haven't read a touching book once in your life. And if you think that I'm wrong... then why are you changing your materia settings, leveling up, and doing all of the side quests to get more items? To move on? Why are you moving on? Story? You already know the story... oh, so you want to experience the story again? Well, you're in disc 3...... and there's no real story advancement in disc 3.

This also brings up one of my other points, the other Final Fantasy games. I'm talking about 1 - 6, X-2, XI, Crystal Chronicles, Tactics, Tactics Advance. Play them. If you don't like em because they lack stories, give those games back to me and I'll be giving these to those that can actually play games.

If I'm trying to sound really hardcore, I'm not. There is a huge downfall in gaming and right now there's a lot of games that just get ignored. Final Fantasy isn't "THE" game and Final Fantasy 7 isn't "THE BEST" game... at least by fact.

Which also makes me want to say, go back and watch Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Great movie really.

Interesting, making alot of good points..i think.

Im more of a classics final fantasy fan, as the storylines were better, well, not the best now that the stoylines have improved over the years, but i enjoyed the classics alot more.

Things like me playing final fantasy III with the orphans for a few days and then playing final fantasy IV for a few days, but if im playing final fantasy X i wont play it as long..

So yeah people have been complining about tidus being gay and all that crap, but it is true that people shouldnt really look at that and say "Crap game", recently i have changed from despising final fantasy X to actually playing it all night..

WITCH!!! BURN HIM lol, not really

i can see what you mean, but to me ff has always been about the story. its probably because we play games for very different reasons.
i rarely get into the technical side of games that much- like in an rpg i would rather go through quickly taking in the story than get the bestesttest item that there is in the world from the mega super secret boss with 7 bajillion hp that takes 40 days and 40 nights to kill.
using ff8 as an example- i got into because of the story and put up with the battle system hich i thought was hellish in comparison to say ff10 or tactics.

P.S.

Which also makes me want to say, go back and watch Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Great movie really.

it was on tv 2 days ago and i have to agree with you, even though i hated it first time round.

I agree with Mog on most of his points.

However, I don't think you can brush of storyline that easily - it's a major part of games these days, with all genres getting some kind of plot development. There was a time when you could have a First Person Shooter with no storyline whatsoever, and it would still sell triple platinum - Duke Nukem 3D, anyone? Now look at the best FPS out there - Halo. A deep atmospheric storyline, combined with the gameplay.

I agree that storyline without gameplay isn't worth crap - UNLIMITED SaGa proves that case brilliantly. And you can have gameplay without storyline - in fact, I think that's Nintendo's company motto. If Nintendo ever develops a first-party game wtih a storyline as deep as Final Fantasy or Halo, i'll be surprised. (Zelda doesn't count. It's been the same story for the last billion games.).

However, it's when storyline and gameplay (graphics usually helps) are combined that gives you a brilliant game. My main gripe with FF: Crystal Chronicles is that there are games out there that do the same thing - and are much better. For instance, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance. It may only be two player, but it's an addicting, fast paced adventure with none of the drawbacks of Crystal Chronicles. Final Fantasy 10-2 I haven't finished yet, so I can't judge it - the gameplay is good, but the story doesn't flow as well.

Final Fantasy XI, I haven't tried, but I can't wait - sure, it may not have a storyline put in front of your face, but it gives you the oppurtunity to tell your story... I just love that concept. When I see how well FF11 works, it makes me sad to see the failure that Star Wars Galaxies is... they could have made SWG a great game. Instead, it may as well be Jedi Knight II online - it's not a real Star Wars experience, in the vein of Knights of the Old Republic.

But I digress.

Storyline doesn't not a game make.
Gameplay a game can make, but
Storyline and gameplay = magnificance,

which is why Final Fantasy X, Halo, Metal Gear Solid and Eternal Darkness sell so well.

I was just about to say that same thing or somethin along those lines.

A-men to that

Actually, I've passed the Single Player mode without much of an intent of listening to what's going on in the story. I just wanted to "blow shit up". :D

Storyline is okay but once you realize that the game starts spawning sequel after sequel, the gameplay starts to get affected as well.. not to mention the horrible story they try to tack on. Legend of Zelda ended up being the same game after A Link to the Past and all of these new story twists (game taking place in a more water like setting and Link has a family?) aren't going to really win me over. Granted I sorta enjoyed Wind Waker, I just never completed. I didn't care about the Cel-Shaded graphics, actually I thought it gave it more personality in the characters.

When you start playing a lot of games like me, all you can do is laugh at the storyline. I laughed at MGS2's plot, I laughed at FFX's plot... I mean they aren't funny but you already know what's going to happen and it's pretty damn predictable. Not to say that games shouldn't have storylines, it gives the character more flavor. It was fun to go through Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions because you really didn't have a point to do it except to get Ninja and get a high percentage completion rate. I feel that Final Fantasy or even all RPG games aren't given enough attention to where the light should be on, which is the general gameplay, the foundation of videogames.

Personally, if Quinton Tarrentino made a game, I'd probably like the hell out of it because most of his stuff is great. If it can translate to a game well enough, no idea. I just wouldn't want to see a game end up going like... "There was a man and something terrible happened! You must control the man to save the world from this terrible thing! It has Moogles, you'll like it!"