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User:Sorceror Nobody/Preference Tables
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For most users that have this feature, it would ordinarily go on their userpage. However, I think that my userpage is already rather overstuffed with userboxes and images, so I decided it would be more practical to make a separate user article for these tables.
The references aren't always just footnotes (though they often are). Many of them provide a precise explanation of my judgement, especially in the cases where something is in the "Worst" column not because I hate it, but because it's simply the least favourite.
| Note: I'm considering scrapping the whole ranking and just saying which ones
This is because I'm constantly looking at the entries in my tables and thinking, "Nah, I
might swap those over...", |
| Current Ranking | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Scoring:
|
Don't take this ranking as a reliable measure of my favourite game overall, as there are many categories of comparison that I haven't put into the tables. For example, Ring of Fates is one I like quite a lot – enough to be writing my first ever (as in, in my entire life) proper walkthrough for it – yet it is low in the ranking because it isn't particularly notable in more than a couple of categories.
Contents |
[edit] Games
| Category | Best | 2nd Best | 3rd Best | 4th Best | Worst |
| Storyline | Final Fantasy VI | Final Fantasy VII | Final Fantasy X | Final Fantasy IX | Final Fantasy X-2[2] |
| Final Dungeon | Kefka's Tower (VI) | Northern Crater (VII) | Crystal Temple (RoF) | Memoria and the Crystal World (IX) | Sky Fortress Bahamut (XII)[3] |
| Endgame Boss | Braska's Final Aeon (X) | Trance Kuja (IX) | Dancing Mad (VI) | The Undying (XII) | Yu Yevon (X)[4] |
| Growth System | Sphere Grid (X) | License Board (XII) | Levelling up (Most of them) | Stat boosts from Espers (VI) | Junctioning (VIII) |
| Skill/Magic System | TIE: Sphere Grid (X) License Board (XII) | Espers (VI) | Materia (VII) | Learn from equipment (IX/TA/TA2) | Junctioning (VIII) |
| Summon System | Aeons (X) | Espers (VI) | GFs (VIII) | Materia (VII) | Espers (XII)[5] |
| Limit System | Overdrives (X) | Limit Breaks (VII) | Trance (IX) | Limit Breaks (VIII) | Desperations (VI)[6] |
[edit] Characters
| Category | Best | 2nd Best | 3rd Best | 4th Best | Worst |
| Protagonist | Balthier (XII) | Terra (VI) | Zidane (IX) | Cloud (VII) | Vaan (XII) |
| Temporary Ally | Beatrix (IX) | General Leo (VI) | Edea (VIII) | Seymour (X)[7] | Ghost (VI) |
| Antagonist | Kefka (VI) | Sephiroth (VII)[8] | Kuja (IX) | Illua (TA2) | TIE:[9] Ultimecia (VIII) Shuyin (X-2) |
| Supporting Antagonist | Cu Chaspel (RoF) | Zorn & Thorn (IX) | Professor Hojo (VII) | Vegnagun (X-2)[10] | Gestahl (VI)[11] |
| Bubbly Ditz | Relm (VI) | Rikku (X/X-2) | Eiko (IX) | Yuffie (VII)[12] | Selphie (VIII) |
| Cid | Cid | Cid | Cid | Cid | Cid |
| Biggs & Wedge | Biggs & Wedge | Biggs & Wedge | Biggs & Wedge | Erm... | Gibbs & Deweg |
| NPC who either dies in a storyline event or is killed off by the player party | TIE: Narshe Guard #31 (VI), Shinra MP #429 (VII), Esthar Soldier #143 (VIII), Lindblum Resident #46 (IX), Kilika resident #34 (X), Dalmascan Soldier #76 (XII) | Cid (VI)[13] | |||
[edit] Music
| Category | Best | 2nd Best | 3rd Best | 4th Best | Worst |
| Character Theme | Auron's Theme (X) | Kefka's Theme (VI) | Terra's Theme (VI) | Kuja's Theme (IX) | Most probably something from X-2 |
| Battle Theme | Clash on the Big Bridge (FFXII)[14] | Let the Battles Begin! (VII) | The Man with the Machine Gun (VIII) | Don't be Afraid (VIII) | Most probably something from X-2 |
| Boss Theme | Jenova Absolute (VII) | Dark Messenger (IX) | Fight On! (VII) | The Decisive Battle (VI) | Most probably something from X-2 |
| Final Boss Theme | Dancing Mad (VI) | OWA (VII) | The Extreme (VIII) | Grand Cross (IX) | Most probably something from X-2 |
| Song (with vocals) | Otherworld (X) | 1000 Words (X-2) | Liberi Fatali, Fithos Lusec Wecos Vinosec, etc. (VIII) | OWA (VII) | Erm... |
You may notice that all but two of the good entries in this table are ones composed by Nobuo Uematsu, while the Worst are all not by him. The first exception is the FFXII version of Clash on the Big Bridge, which still counts because the original was by Nobuo, and the second is 1000 Words. This just goes to show that we really need him back in charge of Final Fantasy's music.[15]
I should make it clear that I don't dislike most of FFX-2's music. I just don't think it works where it's used. You know, doesn't create the right kind of atmosphere, stuff like that. As standalone tracks, I tend to find them fairly agreeable.
I had a hard time deciding for the "Boss Theme" category, and I'm still not sure I don't want to change the order a bit, or possibly add Battle to the Death (VI), J-E-N-O-V-A (VII), Birth of a God (VII), Force Your Way (VIII), A Contest of Aeons (X) and so on. Maybe even most of the FFXII boss themes, but definitely not the main FFIX Boss Theme... it doesn't suck by any means, but it's not one of the best ones in my opinion. I considered putting The Battle for Freedom (XII) in the Final Boss Theme category too...
[edit] Pairings
Slightly different format here, as there's no best/worst. It's just which pairings I support and which I despise, indicated by a × in the appropriate column. You should also note that the second column's heading is heavily truncated. The full version is:
Would support, were it not for the incompatible pairing(s) present in the "Support" column
i.e. one or both of the characters in the pairing are already taken up by a pairing that I've placed in the "Support" column. The best example is Cloud X Tifa, which I would support were it not for the fact that I am a Cloud X Aeris shipper.
"Neutral" is a tricky one. Fundamentally, it is support, but in a very passive way. It generally means that I'm happy for the pairing to be made, but I'm not really that bothered.
| Pairing | Do Support | Would Support | Neutral | OH GOD NO!! | |
| Locke | Celes | × | |||
| Cloud | Aeris | × | |||
| Cloud | Tifa | × | |||
| Squall | Rinoa | × | |||
| Seifer | Quistis | × | |||
| Irvine | Selphie | × | |||
| Zidane | Garnet | × | |||
| Steiner | Beatrix | × | |||
| Zidane | Eiko | ×[16] | |||
| Tidus | Yuna | × | |||
| Tidus | Rikku | × | |||
| Auron | Rikku | ×[17] | |||
| Brother | Yuna | ×[18] | |||
| Vaan | Penelo | ×[19] | |||
| Balthier | Fran | ×[20] | |||
| Balthier | Vaan | ×[21] | |||
| Marche | Ritz | × | |||
| Vincent | Yuffie | ×[22] | |||
| Red XIII | Yuffie | ×[23] | |||
| Luso | Adelle | × | |||
[edit] References
- ↑ Not in the literal sense when we're talking about characters, of course
- ↑ At least VIII is reasonable between the contrived bits, whereas X-2 has a ridiculously insubstantial story once you strip away the side-missions. I mean, about two Hotspots per chapter on average, so only ten story points at best
- ↑ It's just pathetic. I'd like to call the Pharos the final dungeon, because it'd score quite well. Unfortunately, the Bahamut is tacked on the end, which means that the Pharos is the penultimate destination of the game and thus is ineligible
- ↑ We all know why
- ↑ Because I've only used them oh, about twice ever? Neither time was particularly helpful, either
- ↑ Because they hardly ever turn up. I've never had one so far
- ↑ Because Requiem kicks ass
- ↑ He may be the coolest, but that's not the only criterion I'm factoring in here, so he loses to Kefka on this one
- ↑ Because I couldn't care less about either of them, really
- ↑ Though only because I want an artificially intelligent "Big Bug Machina" of my very own :P
- ↑ He got kicked off the Floating Continent by the uberness that is Kefka. Therefore, nobody cares about him
- ↑ Mainly because Selphie is more annoying. Besides, at least Yuffie has some semblance of a backstory, unlike Selphie who shares the same extremely contrived backstory of almost all of VIII's characters
- ↑ Seriously. He manages to stay healthy for a year, then suddenly gets inexplicably ill and kicks the bucket within minutes when Celes wakes up. Unless, of course, you manage to save him. I didn't, and I also don't really care
- ↑ It is rather tempting to put The Black Mages' version here, but it's ineligible since it isn't actually from one of the games
- ↑ Although I hear that Square are bringing in Yoko Shimomura at some point (possibly for FFXIII?), and I do rather approve of the music in Kingdom Hearts, so I expect that should be quite interesting
- ↑ Also "Would Support" were it not for the fact that Eiko X anyone is probably classed as paedophilia
- ↑ This one is included because it's one I see mentioned scarily often
- ↑ Incest is the main reason, but there are others
- ↑ But then, nobody else would have him
- ↑ Everybody wants some bunny-love, even if they don't admit it. Viera are totally hot, and I defy anyone to disagree
- ↑ I have nothing against yaoi, but this pairing? No chance
- ↑ Why the hell do people pair these, anyway? I reckon it's because they were both secret characters originally, so prior to the Compilation it wouldn't have messed with the canon relationships
- ↑ Even setting the bestiality aspect aside. There is also one major exception where I support this pairing, which is in Steele's awesome (if infrequently updated) fanfic FFVII: Redux, Remix & Revenge
