What is a Final Fantasy game to you?

[Rhomagus]

it was Zacks memories and Person in Clouds body that was causing mixed signals to fire.

Oedipus complex explains Cloud's love for Aerith

There are hints to this in game, throughout the compilation, and out of game.

In the first Nibelheim flashback Cloud's mother tells him to date an older girl. One that will watch after him.
- If you read the biographies in the game manual, Aerith is a year older than Cloud and Tifa is a year younger than Cloud

In Advent Children, Aerith is confused as to why everyone keeps calling her "mother".

In an interview with the original developers they are asked why the choice to not be able to revive Aerith was made. The development team says that Hironobu Sakaguchi's mother had just recently passed and that they wanted to show that death is permanent but that those who have passed still "live on" and still very much effect those who are still living. Each developer had their own take on it as well.

Stress induced schizophrenia explains Cloud's dissociative memories.

Cloud doesn't technically have any memories that aren't capable of being his own. In essence, Cloud doesn't falsify memories of times when he wasn't in Zack's physical presence like memories from Zack's childhood. Cloud's childhood is Cloud's childhood.

While Cloud's love for Tifa could indeed be considered romantic love , he is hesitant to commit because of intense feelings of loss and powerlessness.

- Loss of his father then later his mother.
- His inability to protect Tifa on Mt. Nibelheim when he was a child and his subsequent berating by Tifa's father.
- His inability to protect Aerith.
- He couldn't stop the Midgar plate from falling.
- His inability to make it to SOLDIER.
- His feelings of helplessness when his town burned down.
- The loss of his best friend, who he felt was more worthy than him.

Some of the above points cause Cloud's disorder, some reinforce it during the events of VII until his "realization".

Before the events of VII, the only true act of heroism was when he attacked a weakened Sephiroth at the reactor on Mt. Nibelheim. Even then it took a great deal of the above for him to do it and it was mainly out of an emotional desperation. He had been pushed so far, he just couldn't stand idly by.

If Zack never existed, Cloud would still have plenty of psychological motivation to explain his love for Aerith and his less than reliable memory.

[Keith_Dragoon]

True, maybe its just me but graphics isnt at the top of my list when it comes to rpg games. Even now i love 2d and sprite based games like the atelier iris series and other gust games.

Neither do I for other RPGs but when it comes to SE it is to be expected, more so FF titles ALWAYS come out with near top to over the top visuals with a great storyline for their generations.

When I bought Lost Odessey (SE RPG) I didn't expect that good of visuals but when I launched that game I was quite surprised at the level of detail put into it, It has become one of my favorite RPGs, not because of the graphics but the engaging storyline and superb voice acters.

That game made me literally cry multiple times and I'm not even ashamed to say it.

Point is I expect the same from FF titles. XI, XIII delivered this, Hopefully XIV will aswell. (I left out XII because I has no ps2 and never played it.) ; ;

[Celtodeno]

... i had the want to get to the next part because i couldn't wait to see what happens next. ....but at the end of the day i get bored if i have nothing to work for or to look forward to.

this is exactly what is missing from ffxiv right now.

[Chinook]

Refreshing topic, and prolly more meaningful than mechanics/gameplay suggestions at this point.

Agree with everyone's points, particulary the OP's.

5. Plenty to do. They seem to be a master of mini games, side stories, and optional bosses and quests.

That's prolly the thing I miss the most at the moment. People keep talking about FF7, and realized I miss the freedom to do snowboard, Gold Saucer, Weapons, unlocking summons and other stuff more than story or anything else.

[ARoy]

Storyline to be certain, and in the case of Tactics, gameplay was extremely good as well. I only wish more games could be made like tactics... without involving the Ivalice team, they can't seem to do it right. An HD remake or direct sequel would be really nice. But if you can't come up with more for Ivalice, then don't, just make up a new world with new problems.

I would ask "Is that so hard" but the entire entertainment industry has been telling me "Yes" for the past ten years... despite the fact that a group of teens I used to hang out with could routinely come up with good stuff. I think the issue, though, as I learned from that group, is even when you come up with a good idea, you need lots of motivation to keep it going or you just lose interest before it's done. Writing a story is similar, yet extremely different from reading one. Generally, by the time it's halfway written, you've already read it a few dozen (or hundred, depending on the length) times and made edits here and there... you get bored of it really fast.

Having a team of writers helps tremendously though.

[Keith_Dragoon]

Storyline to be certain, and in the case of Tactics, gameplay was extremely good as well. I only wish more games could be made like tactics... without involving the Ivalice team, they can't seem to do it right. An HD remake or direct sequel would be really nice. But if you can't come up with more for Ivalice, then don't, just make up a new world with new problems.

I would ask "Is that so hard" but the entire entertainment industry has been telling me "Yes" for the past ten years... despite the fact that a group of teens I used to hang out with could routinely come up with good stuff. I think the issue, though, as I learned from that group, is even when you come up with a good idea, you need lots of motivation to keep it going or you just lose interest before it's done. Writing a story is similar, yet extremely different from reading one. Generally, by the time it's halfway written, you've already read it a few dozen (or hundred, depending on the length) times and made edits here and there... you get bored of it really fast.

Having a team of writers helps tremendously though.

off topic but how do you get a cool sig like that?

[Enrei]

1. Fantastic exploration - FF has the unique attribute of using a new world every game, meaning every game is a journey into the unknown, something all games should strive for. Even the simplistic story of the original Final Fantasy is full of unique fantasy elements.

2. Recurring themes - Cid, Chocobos, airships, Black Mages, Moogles, Crystals, the big bad evil guys, and so on, had been in my head since before I even played a Final Fantasy. It's great to see some familiar things appear, and it's great to see them evolve over time.

3. Difficult, strategic battles - Sure, this can be avoided with grinding, but without maniac grinding, the old classic boss battles would rely on tactics and preparation. You weren't coming out on top if you had no idea what you were doing.

4. Music - The FF series has some of my favorite video game music.

5. Nostalgia - This ties in with #2, and speaks for itself. Chocobos conjure up memories of playing Chocobo's Dungeon as a kid(my first "FF" game), the pointy BLM hat reminds me of the hours spent in FFXI, and so on and so on...

[Eolrid]

Final Fantasy: Awesome music, cool stories, and total nostalgia. Even seeing the term "Phoenix Down" takes me back to the old days.

The Soundtrack to Final Fantasy IV is one of my favorite video game soundtracks of all time, if not my most favorite. I've been listening to the music of these games for as long as I can remember, and every generation there's been a Final Fantasy. I mean, it's just one of those things that has always been there, you know?

[Rob_Anybody]

I'm going to assume that by 'great/engaging/immersive story' the lot of you were lumping in the amazing scores and soundtracks that accompany these games... otherwise you all fail :P

1. Story/Characters - Music - Honestly I'm not sure which is better or if they'd be as good if you could manage to separate your exposure to them. A lot of the scenes and characters in these games are great because they're accompanied by incredible and memorable songs.

2. Square. A company so cool they got their own button on the controller. Enix has yet to win my love. I rarely step outside the square universe when shopping for non-western rpgs but... square-enix is pushing it! :P

Anyway, those are a few things I look forward to when ever I pick up a Final Fantasy game. Anything else I end up liking is just a bonus

EDIT: 'course two people end up listing music right before my post! hah

[Dreamer]

4. Music - The FF series has some of my favorite video game music.

I can't believe I forgot to put music in my list. I used to have entire collections of FF remixes. The music in FFXIV is really hit and miss, though I still think it's better than most MMOs (with the exception of maybe LotRO and WoW).