Beginning, Middle or End

Jason Tandro · Mar 20, 2016

So just a random idea for a thing that we can discuss here. For each Final Fantasy game you've played, do you think it's strongest and most memorable points are in the Beginning, Middle or End? Take your game of choice and basically break it up into three acts and use that to make your determination.

Here are my choices. Click on each game for a description:

Definitely going with Beginning for the original. Choosing your starting party and seeing them go through the early phases of the game is really rewarding. The game kind of becomes standard RPG affair around the middle though.

Early on when you are still weak, exploring the new world it's actually quite interesting and exciting. But this has a sharp decline.

Pretty much up until you restore the world i fantastic but it starts to feel rushed and unfocused.

Final Fantasy IV has an amazing end-game. The Moon, the Lunar Whale, need I say more?

Same with FFV. The end game is one big rush of mini-quests to get your characters strong enough to tackle the amazing final dungeon. It's just great.

Oh yeah FF6 has an amazing beginning and ending, but the middle starting from around the Opera Scene we get some of the absolutely defining moments of this game. Opera, world of ruin, Cele's on Solitary Island. It's amazing.

This game is a gem all the way through but the early stages of the game are the most magical to me. Through the incredibly well thought out Midgar sequence to leaving the first continent in Junon there is a definite "early game feel" to this game that is hard to match.

This was kind of hard for me, since I had to choose between the school days aesthetic opening and the sorceress assassination attempt of Disk 1, the futuristic Esthar and Lunar Base (not to mention Endgame) of Disk 3 and 4, and what I ultimately settled on - the middle of Disk 2. Why? Floating Galbadia Garden and the Garden Battle. It was epic. My favorite scene from the game to this day.

After you hit Disk 2 the game really starts to pickup and come into its own in both story and gameplay. Cleyra, saving Dagger, the Outer Continent, the Iifa Tree. It's all gold.

The beginning is too linear and the endgame is too disjointed, but the Middle is just right. Offering you plenty of freedom while still keeping you on track through the incredible story.

Gran Pulse. That is all.

The ending of this game, especially as you reach the ends of the timeline are so goddamn creepy.

Due to the nature of this game, the Middle could be any number of places, but the opening is always the same, including that creepy ass first mission in Luxerion. That sticks with me.

Shademp · Mar 20, 2016

FFVIII - Ending

I dislike most aspects of this game but the final dungeon, final quests and the ending cinematics are awesome. Too bad I gotta tread through three discs and hours and hours of card play to get there. XP

Roger · Mar 20, 2016

I'd go with Middle with FFII, when your guest partymembers are dying one after another. That's what sets it apart (other then the bad battle/leveling system).

I'd go with Beginning for FFVIII. After we leave the school days aesthetic, and Squall abandons his immature asocial attidute the game becomes less distinct.

Ghost X · Mar 20, 2016

FFV - Beginning. The character introductions seem to stick in my mind the most, and I quite liked them. Besides liking the job system, by the time I reached the end, I simply recall wanting to finish the game.
FFVI - Beginning. This game is applauded for its middle and ending, I guess in regard to the non-linear gameplay, but once again, I think the beginning of the game, and the setup of the characters and story are the strongest parts.
FFVII - Beginning. What I'd define as the second and third act doesn't really have much content, compared to the first.
FFVIII - Middle. I think once the show is on the road is when things get exciting for this game.
FFIX - Middle. Hard to pick for this game. The end probably suffers for content though.
FFX - Beginning. I recall liking the sense of wonder this game gave me at the beginning.
FFXII - Hard to pick. I think the game is fairly well balanced.

RedFFWolf · Mar 20, 2016

May end up changing my mind with some further thought later, but for now I'm certainly content to say:

FFV - Beginning - The first world had a lot character in it [character as in charm and personality etc.]. (Even though the middle had my beloved Quelb Village...)

FFVI - Middle - Most interesting scenes for me were along here.

FFVII - Beginning - Something I appreciated more as I got older than when I was younger. Places like Wall Market, the Train Graveyard, Shinra HQ and just having a smaller party leave an impact on me in ways appreciation can't find the words for.

FFVIII - Middle - Really difficult to decide, as I found each "third" of the game had defining scenes, but if I could put Deling City as the start of the Middle, then from that area onward would be it.

FFIX - Middle - For similar reasons to VI, where I just prefer what occurs around here.

FFX - Beginning - Another difficult one to decide, as this game often competes with VII for my all-time favourite FF. I chose beginning for reasons very similar to what Ghost said. Tidus matches our ignorance and amazement (and immediately the mind thinks, "Lulu, that's your cue").

FFX-2 - End - I really enjoy the concert that is CH. IV, and the conclusion to all things across Spira comes to light. Den of Woe and Via Infinito are interesting optional areas accessible by the end, too.

FFXII - Beginning - Probably because the thing that always draws me to start a new game of FFXII is exploring Rabanastre for the first time.

(Damnit, JT, I really feel the need to play all these games again now. ALL of them! Great thread, by the way!)

Beginning, Middle or End

Jason Tandro

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Shademp

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Roger

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Ghost X

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RedFFWolf

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