FFXII combat was.. tactical? I've beaten Yiazmat in two rounds starting the battle and going to the pub. Three considering that the first time it failed so I had to reprogram the gambits (I just raised the required health for healing). Sure, some bosses required more (some) interaction but for the most part the game can play by itself. Not even pressing X. Actually I pressed more the Pause button to change the gambits.

The tactics stem from the programming of the gambits.

If you read my previous answer I meant in terms of critics and user reviews and in terms of popularity. FF XIII (the first game) started to be trashed even before it was launched in the west and still it sold a lot getting good and great user reviews from people who played it.

Then I was talking about FF XIII. For exampe my brother and nephew love it (and my nephew is also a big fan of FF IX) but they dispise FF XIII-2. They don't like the "pokemons" and hate that time jumping crap (who doesn't..). The fact that SE was all about Lightning, while many didn't like her I'm sure didn't help either. As it didn't help to know that the story ended with a cliffhanger.

Then what can I say? I waited to buy LR: FXIII myself because I've been decived by the bad reviews. I played it and I've found it great, the best of the trilogy. I personally like the combat system. It's the first FF game that actually requires some skills (the grinding is awfully long, though) and SE has been accused even for that. While I find the turn based combat cool but that's  because it is relaxing.

I do think the LR looked much better because they ditched the old combat system. The problem is that by then no one cared anymore.

The game was TOO big was my complaint and quite a few felt that way ...

Yes FFXII is certainly more tactical despite the fact that FFXIII was harder and had level caps throughout the game ...

Who cares whether or not I am trying to redefine RPG elements when most gamers don't know what an RPG is ... 

@Bold "I guess all other FF games ASIDE from VII, VIII, and X suck" ...

I don't understand this "childish" description of FF IX. In fact, despite three of the main characters being kids, it had the most mature and depressing side plot I've ever encountered in a Final Fantasy game.

Their learning of Vivi's nature, who has the personality of a kid, and ensuing desperate search for a "cure" when they realized he was designed to "die" (a plot straight out of Blade Runner) had me caring more about him than any character i'd come across. Anyone who has had a close friend or family member receive a life threatening diagnosis will relate to their journey. Clinging to one hope after another for a cure, being uncertain how to speak to him about it and often falling back on tired platitudes that neither believed, his illness consuming the thoughts of all his friends, and him constantly questioning his nature and place in the world while coming to grips with his mortality etc... If you found this childish you either didn't get far enough into the game or weren't paying attention to the story and dialogue.

To top it all off, they didn't take the easy route out of this one and, just as is often the case in real life, it became clear that there'd be no cure for Vivi. Still, by the end of the game he'd come to terms with his nature and impending death, matured remarkably from the start of the game, and made the most of what time he had left, serving as the closing narrator (having already died). I'm not sure I've encountered a similar story arc (especially involving a kid) that so accurately showed the struggle a person and their friends/family often go through when combatting a potentially lethal illness in any other RPG.

So no, I'd not say this was childish. Convoluted, bizarre "we all had amnesia" storylines like FVIII, or even the "I must avenge the murder of my love interest" trope are more childish. The mere presence of children does not make something childish.

John, I'm not saying I found it childish because the philosophy behind the story doesn't get into the grand scheme of universe. It was childish to me because the dialogues (at least in Italian) were very childish and stupid, Gidan and many others looked like kids (honestly, it felt like a kindergarten). That clanky Steiner was ridiculous. Then if you like we can talk about.. Quina. lol

Still don't get me wrong. I don't use childish in a derogative way. I love plenty of childish games and movies. I mean, even FFX Rikku is childish! And I love her character (made even better by Tara Strong voice). I blame the awful Italian localization for making FF IX also stupid. As I wrote earlier I've even bought the American version at the recent PSN sales. So my final judgement on FF IX is currently on hold. I'll never like the way we develop and use the abilities, though. And that's a big minus in my book. yes, that to a degree applies to the FF VII Materia system as well, but it is much more straightforward.

Anyway, I think we should make a poll updated to FF Type 0 about which one is the best FF RPG available on consoles. I believe the results would be interesting. ^_^

The order 1886

Final Fantasy 13 and even Final Fantasy 12. Plenty of games to mention.

Not sure about the Italian version, but the English version of FF9 was very well translated, the English is immpeciable.

In terms of characters I thought FF9s characters were among the best roster of characters in the series, is not the best. Steiner was meant to be ridiculous, that was the point of his character barging around the place making a show of himself. That was part of his core character to be overly protective of the princess. His devotion to her as a knight was endearing and he has such a great character arc in the middle of disk 2 where he turns against the queen to save the princess. The character had a heart underneath all that armour. Steiner was also very funny.

Quina, well I have to agree with you on that. As a character Quina serves very little story purpose as he/she has little involvement to Kuja or the games' events. Yet I love Quina, because he/she is so funny. Thats what I feel FF9 did a lot more of; which was its sense of humour.

FF8, was a good game, but honestly, I think it was a bit boring because of the characters unfortunately.

In terms of