Final Fantasy VII vs. Final Fantasy IX

[Demon_XCII]

Who has the better plot and why?
Who has better protagonists and why?
Who has the better battling system and why?
Who has the better villain?
Who has better side games?
Which death was more tragic, Aerith's or Vivi's?

By all means, sub in another FF game if you think it is appropriate.  

[nitnit]

VII in every aspect.

The only other FF that can actually compete is VI.

/thread  

[nitnit]

Demon_XCII

Who has the better plot and why?
Who has better protagonists and why?
Who has the better battling system and why?
Who has the better villain?
Who has better side games?
Which death was more tragic, Aerith's or Vivi's?

By all means, sub in another FF game if you think it is appropriate.

Ok, now for a serious post


Who has better protagonists and why?

7. 7's characters are believable, and most people can relate to at least one of them in some way. 9's are more fantasyish, but I honestly can't really relate or truly care about any of them.

Having said that, 6 still remains the best in this department. Each character is highly developed (barring mog, umaro, and gogo - all completely optional characters). Not to mention that Locke and Cyan both have story elements that are arguably sadder than aerith's death.

Who has the better battling system and why?

Tie. I pretty much say that almost every battle system in final fantasy is about equal. Well, I'd have to dock points for FF8 and FF12, but it's not that big of a difference.


Who has the better villain?

7. Sephiroth is so much better than Kuja, and don't even get me started on the stupidity that is Necron. Until the end of the game when Sephiroth is in the north crater, it feels like Sephiroth could come up at any time and ******** things up, and he often did.

Kekfa is also really good as a villain. His rise to power and how he becomes a bored nihilist makes for good storytelling. Only problem is that Kefka plays no real role other than being the villain in World of Ruin portion of the game.


Who has better side games?

7. This is the only aspect where 7 really beats 6 actually. Besides, who cares really?


Which death was more tragic, Aerith's or Vivi's?

Aerith's by a long shot. Especially since, you know, Vivi never actually died. Like I said earlier, Cyan and Locke had story elements that were arguably sadder than Aerith.  

[Crimson Hagane]

Nitnit, let it be known officially, that on this day, you have convinced me to continue playing FF6.

Anyways, I really can't contribute much to this topic, having not played any Final Fantasy beyond FF6, as far as the main stream series is concerned. I've kept up with the Crystal Chronicles, but that's not the point.  

[nitnit]

I won't lie, the first hour or so is pretty boring since it's just a series of battles you're forced into (kind of like the first hour of most RPGs, lol), but later on they give you a lot of freedom and things get really good.  

[Crimson Hagane]

Which one you talkin' about? Six?

I might just restart that one 'cause I don't remember where the heck I'm at.

Wait, I remember, I recently got some Espers. And I need to infiltrate that empire place for something important...  

[nitnit]

Probably the magitek research facility. If you have the airship just go to the southern continent, if you dont you need to find setzer (Go to the opera house south of jidoor)  

[The Ginger Dude]

both games are good, but you will always have people debating over all of the games, both have great stories, combat system, messed-up villians, and compelling characters, (though i thought the necron fight was unecessary), so all in all,both good games true and true, oh ff 13 is truly a ork of art.  

[Cybylt]

FFIX, mostly because VII is like VI retold and then the compilation completely destroys all continuity multiple times.

FFVI/VII -

Amnesiac ex-slave SOLDIER Terra Cloud works with The Returners AVALANCHE to overthrow the megalomaniac Empire Shinra. Who rule through their superior technology, magitek mako. However things take a turn for the worse when the top General SOLDIER, Kefka Sephiroth kills the Emperor President and plot to destroy the world by realigning the God Statues using the Black Materia and absorbing magic life stream.

After a major setback, the heroes regroup and defeat the now God-level powerful villain. (Albeit this part is really the last 1/4 of all JRPGs)  

[nitnit]

Lol, well played. Unfortunately the settings, characters, and specific details are vastly different. Not to mention you muddled up some key details in your vein attempt to make both stories the same.

I'm going to refrain from bashing FFIX's specific story since you seem to like the game. =) All I have to say is Necron. That alone is pretty god damn bad.

Also, whenever I talk about 7 I'm not referring to the "compilation" at all. I honestly can't stand anything related to 7 that isn't the core game. Well, alright, I had fun watching Advent Children's then cutting edge CGI, but the story still sucked.  

[Cybylt]

Well of course the setting, specifics and characters are different or else it wouldn't be a different game, that's just a given. I also kinda got lazy on the second part there, give me some time and I think I'll come up with something better.

Anyway what I like about IX is its break away from the stoic leading characters and how each character fulfilled a specific role rather than being completely interchangeable because of a skill system that's completely independent of the character leveling.

I also think the game in itself is a bit of a compilation work with its various shout outs and references to the other games since it was supposed to be the last work of the series by its original maker. Naming being the least of it with the game taking place on the planets Gaia and Terra; Necron, the eternal evil may or may not be a reference to Necrophobe or even Cloud of Darkness, his JP name being Darkness of Eternity though plot wise he should have just been a bonus fight. Aside from that you get your usual Star Wars references that occur in most FF games.

As per the plot complexity, IX was toned down the way it was because many people called VIII too confusing due to different subtleties. Instead focusing on character plots and growth.

-Vivi must learn what he is and why he exists, as well as what this means for his life. Zidane finds out what he is, and what that has to do with the villain, Kuja, and even Vivi. Garnet learns the truth about her mother, her own origins, and the nature of the eidolons that are her birthright. With Steiner it's about what honor and duty truly mean, when those he is loyal to stand opposed to one another, and that his loyalty may be invoked to betray itself.  

[Kunx the Mighty]

X because of bad voice acting and no Cloud losing his mind for about half the game, although Chocobo Racing and inbreeding is better than blitzball.  

[nitnit]

Cloud losing his mind was fine...

But yeah, one of the major reasons why I hate X and XII is the voice acting.  

[Cybylt]

That's assuming his actual psyche had any part in the core of VII's plot.

Seemed to me the part that thought he was Zack - the smartass confident personality ever present in disk one - and the sleeper-style Sephi clone part of him were fighting for control through 4/5 of the game and by the time Advent took place they had wiped each other out and there was no personality left *ba-dum tish*  

[nitnit]

Sounds like you're over analyzing this

Anyways, like I keep on saying, advent children should have no barring on your criticisms of FF7. That would be like criticizing FFX because of FFX-2