8 or 12. They are equal in my book, but 12 has much better graphics and voice over. However, the battle system in 12 might not toot your horn.

Can't you get a game like Persona 3/4 or Suikoden III/V instead?

Only Dwight Howard plays poorly made Final Fantasy games (because he is losing in the Finals to the White Mamba Adam Morrison)

I personally like VIII the most

from that list 8 (but it's by no means the best of all FF games ever made) but with that said X-2 maybe had a horrible plot but it has THE best gameplay of ANY final fantasy game EVER. I'ts yet to be matched/bettered.

FFXIII, wait for it

VIII

Doesn't matter. It's still the best of 4.

final fantasy 8 without doubt

XII, VIII, X-2. XI is MMO

XII is the story of a side kick, you are with the people who are making the change (kind of refreshing actually) however, for the most part you are being taken along for the ride which put off a lot of people. I really liked it better than 8 and since I loved FF:Tactics the return to Ivalice was ... awesome :)

VIII has a pretty good story but unless you have a PSP I wouldn't recommend it 'cause the graphics are .. blocky and ugly on my big screen HDTV. The Pre-rendered CGI vids are pretty cool and it has one of the best told love stories in the FF universe.

X-2 I own but have never played (a huge backlog I need to go through first). I have heard that the story kind of takes a back seat in this but the refinements to FF:x are pretty good and the battle system is unique (Changing clothes for abilities' change I believe) (I may be wrong).

Unlike many, I loved XII, The voice acting is perfect, the story is more than adequate, and the game itself works perfectly (well, it did for me). I played it through to completion, and enjoyed the whole ride. The story of VIII is better, but it hasn't aged all that well, and I'd avoid it if that might bother you. X-II is silly but fun, but poinless unless you know X well. XI is to be missed unless you want an online game.