I Ranked Every Mainline Final Fantasy From Worst To Best

[@IvinationOTM]

I just finished VI for the first time, and it was amazing! So much better than it had any right to be! I would give it a 10/10 for sure

[@perfectman3077]

Why wouldn’t it have the right to be one of the greatest ever?

[@BLa-lq2bs]

Shocked to see 10 in your 8 spot. Especially since it usually ranks pretty high for people. So interesting how subjective these games are.

[@retrobrandon]

Well, like I said, this is one I would not be surprised at all to see higher, I just personally go back to these others more often. I do love X, though!

[@shisuna4030]

​@@retrobrandon I would be interested to see how the games would be rated today if they were released today. I think the nostalgia factor plays a role and games like FF7 would no longer be number 1 for most people. Of course, it's also because people expect more today and graphics are more important, and many things weren't possible in the past. I can imagine, for example, that you associate more with FF8 than with FFX and for me it's the other way round. But objectively, or at least based on the opinions of the majority, FFX is ahead of FF8. But fortunately this is not an objective list XD. Nevertheless, I believe that many RPGs from the past are still better than some of them today, or at least not much worse.

[@retrobrandon]

@@shisuna4030 I completely agree! I’m actually prepping a series of videos based on this issue that I see from myself and other content creators. I’ll be going back to games I haven’t played and others I have to challenge them as objectively as possible. But I absolutely agree, X is a better game objectively, I just personally go back to 8 more often. And that was one of the things about this video that I asked myself. Which ones do I actually go back to and love to play? It’s not that X isn’t on that list, I’ve just replayed the others so much more

[@shisuna4030]

@@retrobrandon and there's nothing wrong with that, I personally think Kingdom Hearts 1 is better than 2, especially better than 3, although the other parts are superior in almost every respect. Maybe it's because it was the first game, maybe it's because you've played it more or the others less. However, I think the vibes in the first part are much better, the feeling just gets broken bit by bit and maybe it's the same for you with the newer Final Fantasy parts.

[@Sephirothkingdom782]

@@shisuna4030that’s understandable, me personally I think kh2 is better in a pure game sense due to how absolutely incredible the combat is due to final mix changes.

[@noellawson41]

FF 1 would be my number one and probably favourite game ever. I remember playing it on the PSP, it was the first video game I ever fully finished and to this day, I still go back and play it once a year. I just really, really love everything about it - Just getting lost in some fantasy world with a party and going on a sweet adventure? The nostalgia always gets me.

[@brndn31107]

So awesome to see VIII and XII so high. Love both of them and replay them a lot as well. You really can't go wrong with the franchise for the most part as all games bring something great to the table. Nice list

[@LN-Lifer]

Ha 8 and 12 are two I played upon release but never did beat So recently I decided to play them both again Beat 12 (absolutely loved it this time around) and now I'm about 75% of the way through part 8

[@Dulkh4n]

Final fantasy XV was a gem in potencial. Bring the zones that are there but incomplete, re-use the old optional dungeons in the world of ruins and add more story to that section, help them rebuild before dealing with the bad guy. fix a few things with combat and you are done for a complete edition, you don't even need better graphics ( add raytrycing if you want), and put a few more deep to the story of lunafreya and his brother. and other side characters

[@IronMatty]

Wow - where to even start with this video, let’s first address the elephant in the room, how the hell are you only 2k subs??? That’s insane! The only quality and presentation of this video is on par with content creators with 100k subs+ it’s just fantastic! I was so impressed with the editing and your presentation of the whole video. I can see HUGE things in your future. It’s so so refreshing to see someone who can rank the final fantasy games objectively with their own true personal feelings and placing them where you truly feel they should be based on YOUR feelings rather than trying to appease the fan base and always have 6 7 and 9 top 3. I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever seen any list place 14 in their top 3 and that’s criminal! It should always be in every top 3. I massively enjoyed this video and would absolutely love to see more final fantasy videos from yourself, maybe an entire retrospective video per game, breaking them down game by game, I’d watch every one! U earnt a new sub instantly from this. I’ve been a content creator for over 3 years and I can foresee you overtaking me very quickly! Keep up the great work.

[@retrobrandon]

Wow! Thank you so much! This was a massive labor of love for me but I know it can be a hot topic to not put games where people think they should go, so comments like this really make it for me!

[@ashm4938]

With 9, I agree, graphical revamp and slight battle mechanic changes. However, I would also happily welcome a little bit more character development for Amarant and Quina as well as a better wrap up to Freya's arc which just fell flat in the end. Even if it was a late game optional quest tracking down where Fratley went travelling around the world leading up to Puck finding him with no memory.

[@retrobrandon]

Totally forgot to mention those, but I completely agree on all fronts! Amarant and Quina end up feeling like forgettable side characters for sure, so I’d love to see more of that. And ABSOLUTELY Freya. Let’s hope we see it happen!

[@SubduedRadical]

@@retrobrandon Gizmaluke's Grotto/Freya's theme and Burmicia: Realm of Eternal Rain are two of the most amazing tracks to me in all of gaming history. I've listened to some amazing mixes of Burmicia (complete with rain sound), and I just love that theme so much. I think someone has one on KZbin called Burmecia: A Melancoly Tribute (or something similar) that's fantastic. That along with You're Not Alone and Chrono Cross' Theme of a Shore Bordering Another World (the world map music from Another World which is my number one RPG music piece of all time) are just so good.

[@IlliyaVjestica]

Can I just say this is best video on KZbin about the Final Fantasy series. You’ve got me hyped to play 12. Keep up the great work Brandon! Top stuff 👍

[@retrobrandon]

Wow, thank you so much! I put SO much into this video, I'm so glad to see the passion paid off with comments like this. ❤️

[@IlliyaVjestica]

@@retrobrandon I can tell it's a labour of love. I think your videos got recommended to me after watching Happy Console Gamer. Glad I found you, because your channel is a gem, not surprised if your channel it grows! You deserve it brother!

[@retrobrandon]

@@IlliyaVjestica Thank you so much!

[@joeproovers4954]

Retro Brandon, I’ve enjoyed every minute of this 1,5 hour sit back nostalgia video. And after hearing you played maplestory and love nobuo’s music - I knew I wanted to let you know that your video really made my day. Thanks so much

[@retrobrandon]

Man, it's comments like this that make it all worth it. Thanks for watching and thanks for making MY day!

[@josiahbrake4547]

I wasn’t originally going to leave a comment, but then sephiroth intervened.

[@retrobrandon]

He’ll get ya!

[@F1rstWorldNomaD]

Sephiroth is THE most overrated villain of all time. One of the most bada$$ looking for sure and probably one of the strongest... But his story is flat as fakk. There is sooo little depth to him and there is basically no ambiguity. Compared to Edea, Kuja or even Kafka, hes an Amazing *_looking_* card board cut out.

[@sevenn1ghts]

​​@@F1rstWorldNomaDyeah he is I was expecting more honestly And in the majority of the game, it's just a fragment of jenova

[@MD97531]

@@F1rstWorldNomaDhe’s an amazing antagonist. When you first played FFVII he was just a sinister presence, mysterious and haunting the characters across Midgar and it was a long time until you finally saw him in your party in the calm flashback, with his awesome power. However since that game he’s just been seen too much and beaten too many times and it’s retroactively diluted his menacing factor, mystery and aura. Bit like Vader.

[@claudeyanly5356]

​@@F1rstWorldNomaDI think he's a good villain for the first half of the game but loses all personality and disappears almost completely in the second half until the end.

[@caityelizabethjoy]

An amazing list! 9 is my favourite game of all time, so nice to see it celebrated! I agree with your thoughts on a remake - please don’t touch the story, square! Voice acting would be amazing though!

[@SubduedRadical]

The nice thing about FF14 is that they've made it where you can do the entire MSQ with Trusts (except some 8 man fights, but they're even doing some of those). So they aren't SUPER far from it being single player-able if someone really wants to. Especially if you only play free trial, which is unlimtied (forever as long as the servers are up) and gets the level cap bumped 2 or so expansions back from whatever is current endgame for people paying a sub. So it's not really so bad for that even now.

[@retrobrandon]

Totally agree! And I'm more than happy with that for now and would absolutely recommend it. But the dreamer in me would still love a reimagining that was true single-player on disc or cartridge. It'll never happen, of course, but one can dream!

[@aztraeuz]

The problem is, the free trial is permanently locked if you ever give them money. You can't spend any money on the game, ever to access the free trial.

[@SubduedRadical]

@@aztraeuz Yeah, that part sucks. I feel like they should let you do the free trial stuff if you like, but I'm guessing it has some weirdness with if you have something over that level since they'd have to code locking you out of equipping weapons/Job stone for that Job. Which could get messy.

[@seabicuit7247]

As someone who generally puts VI around the 6 or 7 spot, I’m usually waiting for the bomb to go from the fan base. Especially when they hear IV, V, VII, and VIII are above it. Solid list. Mine differs a bit but always nice to hear differing opinions on entries I don’t hold as high.

[@retrobrandon]

Haha I'm not sure there is a list that would be good with the whole fanbase, so I'm always just excited to talk about the series and absolutely respect differing opinions on this one. Thanks for watching!

[@SketchyDoodle]

Haven't seen the entire video yet, but already big compliments on the editing ✌.

[@retrobrandon]

Thank you!

[@BlueTomorrows]

This is a really great video! And I know it's a really great video because I disagree with most of your rankings but still liked it! You do a good job of explaining why certain games work so well for you

[@retrobrandon]

Thank you! I put a lot into this one, so comments like these are great to see!

[@nickvareymusic]

Agreed with this list! I have to say FF10 took me by surprise… I loved it, amazing imagination, gameplay, and many poignant moving moments. I was surprised to see this low in the top 10, but that’s the beauty of different perspectives!!

[@retrobrandon]

Well, like I said, I wouldn’t bat an eye to see this higher on anybody’s list! Thanks for watching!

[@partyinn3040]

I appreciate the FFXI shoutout. best MMO ever! 9, 10 and 11 was the sweet spot of the series for me

[@retrobrandon]

I couldn't pass it even if I haven't played it. I still dream of getting to it one day...

[@partyinn3040]

@@retrobrandon I hear you bro! I also wasn't lucky enough to play back in the day. I highly suggest the mammoth private server HorizonXI if you want that classic MMO experience.

[@nicksmith128]

I was nervous seeing your ranking and having 16 up there. Then my heart melted when you put 9 on the top!!! It got me started on FF, and the story is unparalleled. I always go back to it.

[@retrobrandon]

Hahaha yeah, 16 being higher is my hot take. That and 10, apparently. But 9 is so so good. Thanks for watching!

[@thesoffen48]

I love FF1 and have played it a ton of times. I think it was awesome that the Black Belt is so much stronger unarmed than with a weapon. FFT is also an amazing game that I have played multiple times.

[@whitecloud2002]

Something a lot of people don't know about Final Fantasy 3 (6) for the SNES version, it was the first and only 2 player none MMO final Fantasy game, Yes you could actually play with another player , each player would control two characters during combat scenes, unfortunately that was it, but holy cow the fact you could do it was amazing for me and my cousin!

[@SubduedRadical]

First, but not only: FF9 has that same feature. :D

[@retrobrandon]

My initial intro to 6 was doing multiplayer with a friend!

[@gabetafoya3936]

Very interesting takes! I really appreciate that your list is very different from most that I’ve seen. Also, thanks for putting the actual best final fantasy at the top. 9 will ALWAYS be my favorite!

[@retrobrandon]

Haha there are SO many takes on this series, I'm just one of the many. But thanks for watching! Love the 9 love!

[@theadamsapple5909]

Great video! I recently played through all the games for the first time. Mostly agree with you on everything. VI, XII, and VIII were the ones that really stuck with me

[@retrobrandon]

I love that VIII is one of those that stick with you! Thanks for watching :)

[@OrbitGametv]

my first introduction to final fantasy was ff7 I was so young when I saw it and was fascinated by it. never got to finish the ff7 classic but got it on the ps4 and just finished it I'm inlove with it I got to get rebirth and crisis core

[@joetheno87]

XIV and IX in the top two...the list checks out.

[@TroySpencer-l5b]

I remember playing FF VI on SNES back in the 1990's. It was epic! I enjoyed it and played it several times.

[@retrobrandon]

Man, I still can't believe this flippin game was on the SNES! It's wild to think about!

[@johnfeng477]

FF11 indeed forged bonds but its style would not work in our era of MMO. I have played the since the release of the PC version for a few years. it emphasis strongly on teamwork and it is one of the most time consuming and memorable MMO I have played. I had a lot of fun, made many friends which I even met in real life. One couple I knew met and got married through the game. FF11 till date is still my fav MMORPG

[@retrobrandon]

I love to see this!

[@xelu01]

ff8 has the best OST in the whole series and top 10 in gaming history!

[@retrobrandon]

Oh my gosh the FF8 soundtrack is so freakin good. I don’t care what people say about the game, THE MUSIC

[@xelu01]

@@retrobrandon​​⁠the music is on anothet level, so engaging! I can't get enough of it after all these years.

[@michaelkarlsson5966]

Thank you for this! :) I had a similar waking up to rpgs as you. I did play and finish Faxanadu (on the Nes) but I never understood what that genre was called and so I never had the chance to look for other games like it. Fast forward to the end of the 90s. A great friend of mine was a real gamer and he played Final Fantasy and loved it. I didn't really understand what it was but he urged me to go and find one of the games at the game shop store where we lived and really invest time in it certainly I would like it. I went and found FF VIII at a low price sale, bought it, played it and loved it. FF VIII is the magic that I compare all other FF and rpgs against and I have since played all FF games (not finishing all of them though) with the exception of XI and XIV (and XVI yet). I deeply thank my friend for urging me into that door back in 1999 (?), I've had so many joyful times because of it :)

[@retrobrandon]

I love this! Thanks for your story!

[@PopFantasyGames]

What a great breakdown! FFXIV is the only game that ever drew literal snot tears from me on multiple occasions because of the incredible story telling and FFXIV Shadowbringers Soundtrack is always top in my playlist. Awesome job, you definitely gained a new subscriber!

[@Sgaragarru]

Final Fantasy IX in first place? There you go sir here's my like

[@retrobrandon]

Much appreciated 🫡

[@bigtatsu]

I looooove Final Fantasy XII. The gambit system was so ahead of its time. I hope Final Fantasy XVII gets the gambit system again. Such a fun game. The replay value is so high.

[@retrobrandon]

Heck yeah! Exactly!

[@LN-Lifer]

Edit- after I posted this and you said something else as well- "I refuse to call him Teedus" 💯 Every FF video you make you say at least one thing that literally makes blurt out loud "ME TOO" In this video that line is "I love grinding"

[@retrobrandon]

Haha glad you could connect with those! I recently started to revisit Rogue Galaxy and I'm enjoying some grinding in the beginning too. It's a problem that I'll own 😂

[@DashingDavid]

Damn good video, man. My list would be different (as would most people’s) but I can’t argue with the number 1 spot.

[@retrobrandon]

Haha yeah, that's the beautiful thing about these rankings. Thanks for the watch, appreciate it! :)

[@christianliteratus]

FF9 is my all time favorite too!!! I hope the remake won't go too far from the original.

[@joeljoyagami8368]

Final Fantasy VI and VII are my favorites, equally, nice video keep it up !

[@retrobrandon]

Thank you! Those are some classics for sure!

[@LizzyLoves91]

I’m slowly making my way through the series, thanks to the Pixel Remasters. I have loved FFX since I was a kid (it’s my favorite game of all time), but only now am I truly loving the series as a whole! I’m going through chronologically and I’m currently on V, so I’m excited to watch the series as it progressed through time. I’m particularly excited to play the PS1 era games, all of which I’ve only played a bit of.

[@retrobrandon]

Love it! Have fun, it's such a great series! It's going to be so cool to see the evolution chronologically!

[@LizzyLoves91]

@@retrobrandon I’m excited, for sure! I’m particularly interested to play VII after just finishing Rebirth. I had played most of VII probably about 15 or so years ago and never finished, so I don’t remember much. The remake has given me a deeper appreciation for the story and especially the characters, so I’m interested to go back and see how the whole thing started! Just gotta get through V and VI first!

[@retrobrandon]

@@LizzyLoves91 Love it! You'll have to let me know how it goes somehow! Maybe ping me on Twitter/X or something, I'm genuinely interested!

[@Kiremaki]

Omg, I'm so happy FF9 is your nr 1! Because it's literally mine too!! Can't wait for remake.

[@retrobrandon]

Neither can I! Hopefully we’ll see it in the next couple of years or so. And man, I hope they don’t mess it up

[@Vayne_Solidor]

Easily my favorite franchise. My favorite is XII Zodiac Age, for the world and all the side content that adds to the freedom aspect. I also love XV. It has some flaws but the roadtrip feeling made it so addicting, I played it almost as much. VII is great, I prefer VIII though. From the Pixel Remasters, my favorite is V, easily. X is great and it was my entry into the series. XIII I really don't like, however its sequel XIII-2 is amazing. Currently in XVI, ha4d to rank for me, but it's definitely a lot of fun.

[@westaylor1489]

I played the hell out of FFXI and have touched a bit on FFXIV. While good games, they never should have been numbered in the main line series. They should have been Final Fantasy Online (FFO) and FFO2. The MMO style is just wildly different from a mainline Final Fantasy (despite so many differences in gameplay across other mainline games) I wish we lived in a world with FF - FFXIV as the main line series and FFO and FFO2 of the MMO series

[@retrobrandon]

Honestly, I completely agree with you. I absolutely love XIV, obviously, but ranking it at all felt so difficult because it’s just not even in the same category. So you’re spot on. Thanks for watching!

[@kevmang7339]

Great video - love the detail you put in!

[@retrobrandon]

Thank you! This one was a massive project!

[@Enharmony1625]

Yeah, you need to get to Vagrant Story, man!! It's amazing! One of the most unique games Square has made. That being said, it has some rough edges, mostly around the interface and how tedious it can get to swap weapons and manage inventory for crafting. A good remaster/remake would do this masterpiece wonders! Also, you will notice many references to Vagrant Story in FFXVI, as several of those devs also worked on it (and FFT). Not only that, Yoshi-P is a huge Matsuno fan.

[@retrobrandon]

Ah man, thanks for the insight here, I love it! I still need to track down the physical copy because I’m nuts, but I do have it on my Vita and just haven’t got to it. So it’s on the list! I’ll bump it up from this recommendation, though, thanks!

[@Enharmony1625]

@@retrobrandon Nice! Just be ready for a challenge. It's notoriously difficult. :)

[@gregtroyan]

I was going to give you grief about calling this the "ultimate" mainline ranking despite excluding one of the mainline games, but your segment on XI at the beginning was good enough where I'll give it a pass, hahaha. If I'm ranking base XI, it's towards the bottom of the mainline games. If I'm ranking all of FFXI, it's towards the top. I made a 2 hour overview of all of XI's expansions you might want to check out, as it's a good overview of the whole story without major spoilers. I played XI for the first time 2 years ago so I'm not a veteran of the game, just a fan of the series like yourself. I did 10 hours of video essays ranking the games, but long story short, my top tier games are VII, IX, IV, X and XI (if we include all expansions). I like the controversial games (II, VIII, XIII, XV). I'm mixed on VI. XIV and XII are my least favorite of the mainline games, though I've only beaten ARR up to this point, whereas I beat all of XI.

[@retrobrandon]

I'll definitely check it out! Yeah, if you love XI after the expansions, you have to give XIV expansions a go. Heavensward, the first one up, is one of my favorites, but everything from then on is amazing! Thanks for watching and I appreciate deciding against the grief! haha

[@uppernimbus]

Uh oh, you won't like it that I've never played a Final Fantasy game either 😅 Your editing, humour, and intelligence is SOLID my man, what a fantastic video! 🎉

[@retrobrandon]

Well now you have a video to reference for when you DO decided to play, right?? ... Right? Haha thanks, brother!

[@uppernimbus]

@@retrobrandon Oh yeah, I'll be coming back here for sure 😉

[@F1rstWorldNomaD]

Congratulations. You are correct. FF9 is THE undisputed GOAT of Final Fantasy. I havnt played any FF beyond 12 but it dorsnt matter, FF9 is perfect and you cabt beat perfect

[@RickClops]

This is a pretty good list. It's hard to take people seriously if they put one of the first three over any other game since they didn't have much character development or plot yet. I've beaten 1-4, 6, 7, 9, 10. FF5 has a fun battle system and very little plot. FF8 has a cool story and a bad battle system where you waste time drawing magic. MMOs can't compare to a single player RPG for plot and character development. (Maybe WoW is the exception) I've heard 12 is good, but I can't get drawn in by Vaan or Penelo. Also, the plot is really confusing, they name drop so many people and locations.

[@Geallach83]

FFXIV may not be for everyone for a variety of reasons, but for those with the time and sub money to spare, they will experience one of the best stories in the entire FRANCHISE of Final Fantasy. It also has the advantage of standing on the shoulders of giants in the FF series and applying their strengths to the game. Also, controller gang #1!

[@retrobrandon]

Heck yeah!

[@FF-tp7qs]

If you want to save money, I would recommend starting with the free trial and completing as much as possible of the main story and and side content that the trial provides access to which is everything up to the last patch before Shadowbringers and level 70. Then when you reach the roadblock you can get a free month of subscription time when you upgrade to the complete edition and make the most of it

[@riggedgame1189]

@@FF-tp7qsI second this. I joined in 5.3ish when the free trial was initially expanded. I spent 280 hours on the free trial alone, and that was before it included Stormblood. By the time I finished stormblood, I had 400 hours in the game- and I wasn’t even scratching the surface when it came to side content.

[@FF-tp7qs]

@@riggedgame1189 it also helps if you can rope in a friend who is already subscribed so they can invite you into parties as a way around the limitations if the free trial.

[@leaftune4427]

Haha, FF1 is still in my top 5. It's easily my most replayed Final Fantasy. Something about how simple and clean it is draws me back to it. The PSP and Pixel Remaster are definitely my favorite versions. (The pixel remaster ver can even be modded with an NES or PS1 difficulty mod which is a fun challenge.)

[@retrobrandon]

Yeah, I do really love one despite its low spot on the list for me. I’m also considering going through them 1 by 1 again and doing more in depth individual videos on them. The thought of going back to 1 is actually really exciting for me

[@wmen48]

Wasn't gonna comment BUT... this man is telling it like it is.

[@VariantNYC]

original ff11 was the ultimate mmorpg that had absolutely zero respect for your time 😂 the tradeoff was that any progression you made had such massive weight to it. It may be a dead idea currently, but needing a proper party to do literally anything is the truest form of an mmorpg. unpopular opinion but as im playing ff14 right now, i prefer both the menu-style combat and the levelling style of original ff11. id rather grind difficult regular mobs with a full party in the open world then grind instanced levelling roulette dungeons 😅

[@retrobrandon]

Hey, happy to hear the hot take! That’s one of the best things about this franchise and its fans! To be fair, in XIV, you can always go chase some hunts as well, but I hear you!

[@Bevtone]

1. Totally agree about the preference for the old XII licance board vs zodiac age, although the job's system does bring balance to the overall party dynamics! 2. Thanks for not dumping on VIII 3. Should we start adding tactics to the conversation or does that open up Pandoras box? Great video and good work trying to be as balanced as possible throughout! Not easy to do when it comes this of all series.

[@retrobrandon]

Haha I'd love to talk about Tactics, but that'll be another video. I think 16 is enough to go through for one video 😉

[@yosukeoshida9886]

Hiromichi Tanaka did not come up with Edgar and Sabin, Soraya Saga (she also worked on Xenogears along with her husband, Tetsuya Takahashi) did. As far as I am concerned, Tanaka didn't write any of the characters for FF6. I think you should put this into the notes/subtitles, as this is clearly wrong information. Other than that, I have only watched it up till the FF6 part to comment on this. But so far, it's overall a good and enjoyable video. I'll keep watching, thanks for making this! EDIT: Celes also learns magic naturally through level ups, just like Terra. She merely gets different spells.

[@retrobrandon]

Hey, I really appreciate the info! I'm absolutely happy to update the description if any info is incorrect. Haha and I knew that about Celes, but I realize that definitely sounds like Terra can do what she could not. That wasn't intentional. Anyway, for the above about Takahashi, it's my understanding that they were made by Soraya Saga, whose real name is Kaori Tanaka, came up with it. So I went with her real name. Admittedly, the more familiar name would have been better. So I believe it's still accurate? Unless I said Hiromichi Tanaka by habit. In which case, I'll update the description because that is indeed a mistake! Thanks for the thoughtful comment! Let me know if that makes sense and if I mispoke!

[@nerdycatlover8627]

FFIX is my favorite, too! I'm so glad to see that you agree!

[@retrobrandon]

All aboard the IX train!!

[@rocketrebelracerstudios9816]

The Remake Trilogy Is Not A Sequel To Advent Children, Its Is Its Own Reboot Series/Universe, Its Just That Square Enix Made Some Bad Story Decisions That Confuses Audiences, Because They Are Trying To Get It Made To Capatalize On The Success Of The Original Game. This Is Not A Hate Comment It Just Bothers Me That People Put Out False Information Like This Out On The Internet, Both With Big Things And Small, But That's Modern Day Internet For You.

[@ElAxel123]

Thanks for this awesome video ❤

[@CucasNerdyCorner]

That's was a very interesting way to pronounce Zidane lol 😂

[@retrobrandon]

I refuse to give up my childhood pronunciation 😂

[@nathandrake8451]

Final Fantasy IX is my favourite FF too!!!!

[@retrobrandon]

Ahhhh yeah!

[@ZellierArtist]

I'm currently playing FFXI and it's really being an adventure, I'm really enjoying it and after having completed the second expansion yesterday, I think it could sneak into my top 5 favorite FFs if things get better

[@retrobrandon]

Ooooooh, you have me even MORE intrigued with at. I'll need to find the time at some point!

[@ZellierArtist]

@@retrobrandon Maybe it's because of FFXIV and its upcoming Vana'diel-inspired raid or maybe it's always been like this, but the game is full of people (not as crowded as FFXIV) (at least on the Bahamut server) the linkshell I'm in is always full of messages. Playing FFXI feels like playing a mix of FFI, FFII, FFV, FFXII and FFXIV FFI: Talk to the NPCs to find out how to continue the story or how to find a certain object or place. FFII: skills of weapons or magic types are leveled independently when used in combat. FFV: you have a main job and a secondary job that you can mix to create very crazy hybrid classes. FFXII:You can see enemies swarming around the map, the combat system occurs in the open world, without transition to a battle scenario. FFXIV: Many of the monsters and creatures from FFXIV share designs with those from FFXI, so you'll see familiar faces. FFXI maps are open areas similar to what we can see in FFXIV

[@masterjoda999]

When I first clicked this video, I was admittedly wondering why XI was unranked, but not wanting to rank it because you've not actually played it is completely fair and understandable. That said, have you gone and played it on steam since this video, since you can do a great deal of it single player with trusts?

[@retrobrandon]

I haven’t yet, no, but I’m definitely interested! I’ve just been juggling a bunch of other games I want to make videos on and still need to get back to FFXIV for Dawntrail! Haha but I’m keeping an eye on XI and may boot it up and even do a video on it at some point down the road. Thanks for watching!

[@paulhenri5902]

You talked so much about how much you love grinding, I was almost sure XII would be in the top 3 XII is my favorite especially because of the battle system and the ''drop system'', every area has enemies with amazing gear from the start, also it has my favorite cast of characters and story, and the best world of course. Yeah the pay-off is a letdown, but still a 10/10 game for me.

[@retrobrandon]

Top 4 is close enough! 😅 but yeah, absolutely love the game and can’t help but come back to it. I get that XII itch.

[@lookhowshegobbledthat]

Final Fantasy 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 raised me.

[@retrobrandon]

... So which parent do you most reflect? 😎

[@lookhowshegobbledthat]

​@@retrobrandon 9 with 7 a close second. 8 a close third because that was my first daddy too! The nostalgia for that one really hits, the y2k futurism vibes, the bright serene atmosphere in the beginning, the Erik Satie esque music, the familiar locations, the card game...

[@Kingofsoulsss]

11 got left out

[@lookhowshegobbledthat]

@@Kingofsoulsss Never played the online ones.

[@perfectman3077]

Not 6? I am sad for u

[@ETHomerin]

There's so many good things about all these games. Like a lot of people VII and X were my favorites, but I'd put XII and XV up with them if XII had had less dialogue scenes cut, and if XV had been in all one piece between it's DLC and anime shorts. But development was shaky in the decade after the company merge, so it happens. IX has the most of that FF element. That journey went everywhere and it had perfect swan song effort from Sakaguchi. What a way to capstone PS1!

[@retrobrandon]

Agreed! Thanks for watching, I appreciate it :)

[@ETHomerin]

@@retrobrandon always happy to enjoy FF! More power to ya!

[@Paiste2002Fan]

The only changes I want to 9 would be fully orchestrated soundtrack, remastered visuals and cut the load times before battles.

[@OoogaBoog]

Moguri Mod. you're welcome :)

[@Buluen]

Great video Brandon! I never did finish FF9

[@retrobrandon]

Sounds like you need to get too it, my man! 😉 Thanks for watching, brother!

[@whiterabbit77]

Love the way you present your opinions, love the details behind the making of these games! Annnnd love this channel :D Would love to see a video about Square vs Enix and their merging X)

[@retrobrandon]

Thank you so much! Excited to keep it going! I do love that idea... I'm thinking I could do a specialty series on some of those unique industry events among RPG companies. Not sure yet, but love the idea! Thanks for watching!

[@xFayth]

Absolutely amazing video ! But so sad to see FFX only on 8... it deserves so much better :(

[@retrobrandon]

Haha I know, so are so many others. I do love that game, I just find that I go back to it least often. But I'm thinking of hitting em all individually again and doing videos for each one to really dig in and get specific. Thanks for watching!

[@fatenabu1]

Also the 2D PSP version is the best version of 4 in my opinion, it comes with one of the few ways to play FF4-2 in 2d.

[@justintaylor6988]

I feel like everyone underestimates ff1, I love it and it's not extremely long so it's fun to replay

[@retrobrandon]

Haha hey man, I've said it before and I'll say it again. Saying one piece of gold glimmers slightly more than another doesn't mean we're no longer talking about gold. I love this entire series and even at a lower rank, I enjoy going back to those! FF1 is still unexpectedly good considering it's age! Still totally holds up

[@arrivalofdoom7449]

Finished my first Final Fantasy game ever and - come at me bro lol - yeah it's XIII . Coz accessible battle system , late enough in the releases for a decent vocal and huge lore. To be honest , I LOVED it - and Xiii-X2 is now queued up ready to start for later this year. I like the fact that square enix are getting round to remaking the classic titles so am sure a few more will be on my list before 7 Remake and co which Brianna is keeping me all up to speed on ❤

[@retrobrandon]

Hahaha not hate here, my friend! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Saying one piece of gold is shinier than the other doesn’t mean it’s not gold! I’m actually keen to revisit these again since I have em on the Steamdeck! Or if Squenix releases a compilation of the Switch or something, I’ll just buy it again again. Thanks for watching!

[@Mindistortt]

it's hard to rate ff11 nowadays, since it's now soloable and you'll never get the same experience that was given back in the day, unless you play horizon XI, but it's classic ff11 75cap era, meaning you will take FOREVER to do simple stuff. I played it 10 years between 2005 and 2015. I gotta say the story is BRILLIANT specially on 2nd expansion and onwards

[@jchempiano]

As someone who loves trying to platinum games on the playstation i cant bring myself to do the lightning in 10 or the jump rope in 9 again after doing them as a kid. Still always willing to replay the games but never again will i atempt to 100%

[@retrobrandon]

Haha I don't blame you!

[@GaymerKris01]

I know shadowbringers had massive connections to 3, but when I heard the music for 3 when he was talking about it... it finally clicked. I had massive nostalgia when I heard it cause I started 14 with Shadowbringers release. My heart 😢😢😢

[@retrobrandon]

Shadowbringers is so so good and how they utilize the old themes is amazing! I still get emotional listening to these soundtracks! Heavensward and Shadowbringers in particular get me good

[@diegoarmando5489]

FF7 is one of my favourite games but doesn't need a remaster. We already have Echo-S, Remake, and good ports of the OG on like every platform. You can even mod the Hell out of the current PC version. Xenogears needs a remaster due to the jank and QoL issues that disrespect your time and make navigation obnoxious. The core gameplay, the story and characters, and the music are magnificent, but the game needs indicators and in-game maps, more places to save, and platforming that doesn't crap the bed when battles are loading. Phantasy Star 3 needs a remake because it's a bad, frustratingly empty game with decent music and a phenomenonal concept. FF14 will not get an offline version because it's a victim of its own success and (deservedly) makes bank for Square-Enix. I'd play the fuck out of one though.

[@retrobrandon]

No, I totally agree. I don't think they should spend more time/effort on it with all we have. Just super bummed what we got was the freakin mobile game! Haha thanks for watching!

[@sindelio]

Ff9 is my favorite as well!

[@servantofchaos9635]

great video. 11 is also the only one i havent played. our top 3 is similiar, except id probably put 10 up there instead of 7. subscribed

[@retrobrandon]

I appreciate the sub!

[@BrendanStuart]

13 is SERIOUSLY underrated

[@xdanielol4835]

Wow! What a great movie, haha, IX’s also my favorite and yeah, my personal favorite scene in all of gaming is Not Alone.

[@retrobrandon]

Hahaha it is a movie, isn't it. I didn't set out to make it this long... I just couldn't shut up 😂

[@TheSteelers4190]

The remake trilogy is NOT a sequel to AC. It's connecting the story of OG to better fit the compilation works while creating context to why things are the way they are in AC. Good grief.

[@thomascamburn6915]

i spent waaaaay too much time on blitzball. i failed to beat the game on 3 separate occasions because i got to blitzball and never moved on. i did eventually beat X though.

[@retrobrandon]

I'm glad SOMEONE liked it! 😂

[@Anayoth]

X is in a weird spot where the original creator was no longer involved, so fans ended up loving it or hating it with a passion.

[@retrobrandon]

@@Anayoth haha oh I loved the game, but I did not like blitzball 😅

[@TheMusicfan189]

A well earned sub from me! Incredibly well structured video and amazing analysis of a series that I am very very late to the party for. I probably started in completely the wrong place with the 7 remake, not long finished FFVII Rebirth, and I’m now a couple hours into FFVXI, I realise I’m only a novice, but I’ve already purchased FFX and FFIX ready to go for when I complete XVI!! 26 and only just deep diving into the entire series!

[@retrobrandon]

This is awesome! Enjoy it all!

[@Ukaran]

This video is just more proof that the most underrated mainline game in the franchise, is FFXI.

[@duyle557]

The problem with these rankings-or any other rankings from any media-is that you are judging them by 2024 standards and not by the impact they had when they were released which I feel is more important. It is easy to replay an old game now and dismiss it due to graphics or story rather than how they defined the genre. Anyone watching Jurassic Park for the first time will say it’s a nice dinosaur movie in 2024, but if you were alive and watched it back in 1993 then your response would be holy S***!

[@osmaniesquijarosa4308]

Well, I think both perspectives warrant merit. How well a piece of media holds up is also a testament to it's quality and impact. Using Jurassic Park here was a bad comparison as pretty much all dinosaur movies ever released have been Jurassic Park or World which takes place in the same continuity, a better example would be Tolkien's work, but for a more acute comparison the Peter Jackson films, those hold up extremely well, even the CGI, and up to this day no other Fantasy film or show has even come close to dethroning it or challenging it.

[@foxfire1112]

8 being that high is insane imo, especially higher than 10, especially with your complaint being 10 was tedious.

[@LN-Lifer]

10 is literally the only videogame in history that I mastered 100%

[@BronsonPiercey]

Me too oddly enough. I platinumed the psvita version and it was a task

[@hotcoldman77]

FF13 story is so simple and straightforward LITERALLY lol. I'll never understand people saying it's complex... like are some people slow or what? Smh

[@taylorlowder8935]

Man. That ranking was like if you spun a roulette wheel to determine placement. Mind boggling.

[@EPS5000]

How come you don't have Theatrhythm Dragon Quest in your collection of Theatrhythm games? It's the 3rd 3DS game.

[@retrobrandon]

I didn't even know this was a thing until recently!! I NEED this!

[@nizizumi]

On the topic of what a focused single player FF14 would look like, if I were to organize it, the focus should be on everything after the 7th Umbral Calamity all the way to the finale of Endwalker and call if something like, "Final Fantasy XIV: Design of Ancients" and release that as an 80 hour semi-open world campaign. Maybe have it be an evolved ATB system with and emphasis on movement and timing. Rough ideas, but that would probably be something that would work imo. I will probably never happen, but it would be cool.

[@retrobrandon]

👀 My friend, this would be AWESOME! Now I will pine even more for that which will never be...

[@Billyboy2288]

awesome video man i hope you get more subscribers!

[@retrobrandon]

Thank you!

[@nezkeys79]

FF13 and the other two games are all S-tier combat tbh Also if you read the datalog everytime there is an update to it, it's impossible to not know what is going on

[@LN-Lifer]

If I had 2 FF wishes 1. Like you said, 14 as a single player 2. (And this is actually my number one wish) FF9 remake BUT DON'T DARE MAKE IT ACTION and ruin it like they did 7

[@retrobrandon]

100% agree!

[@emjaydesu]

Final Fantasy IX is not only my favourite FF game, but it's also my favourite video game of all times. I LOVE THIS GAME! I have it on every platform now :D

[@retrobrandon]

Me too! I bought it any chance I got! Oh, I guess except Steam. But that’s because I only have the deck and I already have it everywhere else. Though, now I’m tempted… 😂 Anyway, my madness aside, thanks for watching!

[@emjaydesu]

@@retrobrandon I forget about Steam... So I don't have it on Steam as well 😁 I have it on every console I have then. I saw on KZbin this Moguri mod for IX and it looks amazing and for this mod alone it is tempting to get it 😅

[@retrobrandon]

@@emjaydesu Yeah, I was just thinking about the mods. That DOES make it tempting... 😂

[@drakayodarcphyre4244]

9 is litterally my favorite

[@retrobrandon]

It’s so good!

[@yuvalmagal9891]

I love seeing this list because its so personalized, I am so used to seeing the classic 3)X 2)VII 1)VI so this is a nice change of pace

[@retrobrandon]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!

[@LeonardoRodrigues-uj1sm]

FFV is the most important game in this franchise gameplay wise

[@retrobrandon]

I can totally see that, actually. I love going back to 5 for the gameplay! That Job system is so addicting!

[@LolwutStevie]

Brilliant video, really enjoyed it ecen if our opinions don't always align (almost lile people can like different things) Just wanted to praise the polish and time spent making this! Im just one dude but youve got my sub. Ps. FF7 is #1 ;)

[@retrobrandon]

Thanks so much! Hahaha can't argue with 7 at top for some people. I'm here to spread some love for the series, so happy to see deviating lists!

[@cesarmaluco769]

I love your list! Very interesting and informative especially for me who wants to explore other FF games after finishing OG 7, the first one I played was 13 then I played 6 and 7 and now I think I’ll play 1-6 first. Since I wanna play through all of those before playing 9 which is an homage to them apparently and your list helped figure out which version for game I’ll play, I think for 3 I’ll probably play the psp version for example

[@retrobrandon]

Thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed it! I know lists can be controversial for storied series like this, but I hope I made it clear that this entire series is worth it, even if I personally prefer some over the others

[@Metro4466]

15 lower than 13?? Oh wooow! Didn’t expect this

[@retrobrandon]

I got some HOT takes! 😂

[@unbothered5240]

I find it based. 13 has actual story, despite it being a hallway. 15 isn't even a hallway. It's like really a glorified room... with conflicting lore... and a pretty pointless "story". 13 just has polarizing issues with it being a bit convoluted . But it's because it was altered last minute from Vanille being the main character... to Lightning.. which heavily ruined the story telling and the player perspective. 15... 15 is just...a mess.😂

[@Metro4466]

@@unbothered5240 I'm biased, the room was one of my favorites and I hated the corridor.

[@unbothered5240]

@tonigrondahl4465 A lot of people liked the systems in 15 compared to 13 and the ability to explore the large "room" trumped the long hall that was 13. But I do think in overall quality 13 just... kinda destroys 15 in content. Though personally they're my least 2 favorite xD

[@KegOfMeat]

Just here to see where he puts X lol. It’s the only one I’ve played, it’s one I own on three different consoles, it has one of my favourite soundtracks of all time and is absolutely one of my favourite games ever. I’m shocked seeing XV lower than XIII. 37:40 props to you man because I flat out refuse to play blitzball at all other than the time the game forces you to play it.

[@ericrhodes5174]

I'm a mechanic. So you know there's a lot of fabrication with that iron when it comes to Brandon, right?

[@lukegedeon3559]

16 is absolutely incredible. Game of the year last year for me by far

[@retrobrandon]

I really think it gets too much hate!