I’ve been playing FF since the first one, and it’s my favorite game series. It’s even what got me inspired to want to make games, so I could write a good story around very familiar game mechanics.
Honestly, if all I made were Final Fantasy clones, I wouldn’t complain. 
I loved the older ones. SNES through PS1 era. I’ve tried some of the PS2/3 ones and never really cared for them.
Yes, the PS1 era was definitely the golden age of Final Fantasy. 7 and 8 were my favorites for a long time (although 13 is now my favorite).
Although I was really influenced for a long time by FF4 and 6, only because I played and replayed those a bunch in high school.
Long term FFXI and FFXIV player (the MMORPGs). Taru Taru / Lalafell for world domination 
Fail Faster - there is no instant win
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So for those of you who have played, which elements would you want to implement in your own game, which ones would you leave behind, and which ones would you tweak for your own purposes?
For me the story is the biggest thing. Get me hooked quick, and keep me interested, and the character could be a pixelated blob for all that I care.
Graphics are nice, but I’m more old school, so they aren’t my main concern.
Little mini games, where appropriate, are always fun.
Character customization is great, but some times its too much. Most FF games you level up, and you can chose what spells/abilities to buy, but leveling up takes 20 seconds. Some modern games it takes as long to level up as a D&D character.
My wife and I used to play the FF14 ARR, however we play on Japanese servers so I doubt I would meet any other Japanese server players here. 
I found Final Fantasy during the PS1 golden age. Starting with 7, I was quick to get subsequent PS1 releases as soon as they were available. And thanks to a previous game being bundled with Chrono Trigger, I discovered that too.
My favourite was 9 because it hit a lot of more traditional fantasy notes than the sci-fi infused 7 and 8 did, though I do have a really big place in my heart for those two as well.
Games in the series after 9 have been unfortunately overlooked by myself, because I didn’t get a PS2, but I did get a few tastes of gameplay while around friends’ houses. 12 in particular intrigued me because I was already familiar with Ivalice after Tactics and Vagrant Story, but I barely got to experience that game.
X/X-2 on PS4 is probably one of the next games I’ll buy for myself, maybe even ahead of 15, so I can try and catch up.
I did have a big stint in ARR with my Lala a year or 2 ago. I think I played primarily as a healer. The opening cinematic really set the tone I love from the series but I found the MMO itself to be too unfocused to really deliver that connection to the worlds and characters that I love the games for. They normally dump a heavy dose of faux nostalgic feeling for the new world you’re experiencing on you, and it didn’t really deliver that for me.
That’s what I’d hope to be able to emulate in my own games if I were to take anything from the series. That immersion into the world and the nostalgic connection to it all. Some of the greatest stories from the series to me aren’t even the main plot, they’re the interwoven stories from times before your arrival into the game. Zack and Aeris/Aerith in 7. Laguna and Julia in 8. The history of Madain Sari in 9. I’m guessing this aspect applies almost wholly to Titus and Zanarkand, yeah I kind of had that entire game plot spoiled without ever having properly played it 
But yeah, it’s that in game nostalgia that I like in the series.
Have you played Lost Odyssey? It was a sort of spiritual successor.
Does anyone have any recommendations of more recent games that capture the feeling of the older FF games? I haven’t really enjoyed one since FFX.
I haven’t played Lost Odyssey, but I’ve heard of it. If it’s that similar to FF, I will have to check it out.
I know I’m super late to this thread, but I’m a huge FF fan. They are the main reason I want to create RPG games. I’ve played FFXI for several years, and FFXIV once FFXI servers started going down.
Final Fantasy is the series that got me into video games and its insane to think that they are still making them and going strong!
I love them all in their unique way as every game is different, with different characters and stories.
obviously some are better than others, but I do play any video game and enjoy it in its own merit.
Much like the time its taking us to complete these courses, imagine the time and effort it takes to me make a video game like FF, I cant just outright dislike a video game because its not as good as FF7, I think about the work behind it and the thought process and I play it thinking, awesome let me fully immerse my self in your world!
That’s Final Fantasy games for in a nutshell!! I love all games!! all game ideas are amazing cause they are yours!! Its not all about the money 
You’d be surprised. I play on Masamune 
(I started on EU/NA servers)
Oh yes, and I was playing FFXIII and FFXIII-2 whilst I was away from my Internet access over Christmas!
