I'll agree with this and add that from FF7 on there has always been a very freaking annoying party member that you wish you could just shoot them in the face and not be part of the team anymore. FF3 (6) did not have that kind of a party member and you had a good amount of members!

Final Fantasy VIII for my favorite FF story.  But it is not my favorite Final Fantasy game.

My Favs ones:
1).-FF VI :So many characters plots,all of them with so remarkable and full of deep feeling sensations,crossing between them and forming an epic,unforgetable quest,not only for save the world,for find and accept themselves as well.

2.-FF VII: An alien main villain,a rulership company overexploting planet's main resources and many greats individual's story.

3.-FF VIII: A great, unforgetable as well,love story,revolving between a more mature terms mixed with a compelling school (garden) life.Laguna rocks too.

4.-FF X: Painful story,impossible to not feel the sadness and despair around the whole game,fight against the established religion and ultimately against the same sacred source of your belives?Greatness.

5.-FF IV:The first "complex" FF's story,redemption,selfsacrifices till the end (Kain,you rocks) and a great cast of characters (Tellah!!)

Favorite? 6.

Best? 4.

4 took a theme and masterfully applied it to all the significant characters in the game without beating you over the head with it. It did so just so well. From a pure execution and techincal standpoint i'd put this as best.

ff 9 i loved how the story starts off and how zidane develops near the end.
ff 10 because all of the characters were interesting and unique and feed off each other story wise pretty good.

Story wise FF X was the best imo

Final Fantasy X. That ending always gets me, man. I mean, even though it's supposed to be sad, watching Tidus jump out like that is just great. I feel a mixture of sadness and happiness when I watch it.

I have now played all the Japanese versions of Final Fantasy and love them all but Final Fantasy X is the first one I played and and is game that got me to love the Final Fantasy series. A beautifully crafted story and the ending really got me I have to admit that it made me cry. Final Fantasy X-2 was a fun addition to Final Fantasy series embracing JPOP and more full on Anime style then seen before and closed out Yuna and Tidus's story in very nice way to.

FF VI (6)

FFviii's story win's for me. IX had an excellent story as well but I could never get over the character designs. I only gave the game a shot because it was Final Fantasy. I absolutely despise that artstyle where the characters look like midgets