Personally my favourite has got to be FF8 for the PSX. I liked the storyline SOOOO much.

Both of those games are on my *wish* list, and you get to play them!!
I am really anticipating FFX, and already believe that I know alot about it from only a handful of movies.

Zelda wasn't an RPG (You're right) and I didn't like any of 'em (SNES, N64).

Anyway FF8 beats FF7...... pant's DOWN!! so THERE! ;) LOL
But not only did it have a better storyline but it was much more fun, and for longer. Of course both kick 9's butt.

All normal monsters will die if you pull out a summon, harder ones die at about 2, and those pesky green gits that have bad breath take about 3/4.

And how can you say no stratagy? Sure you could use GF's most of the way - but the times that they die - or you just get tired of them - you can even use the limit breaks (which are the most/second most powerfull moves!).
FF7 I did like the magic system a bit - but restricting the ammount of summons you can do in a battle - that's not nice! FF9 sucked because you can't have magic with Zidane, or things like that - only special skills for each!

The junction system was actually very good IMO. It was easy to use - it took me about 2 hours at most, and that was WITH gameplay. I'm meant to have about 148 IQ I think, but that was one of those DIY math's books I borrowed from a teacher in school - I did order a proper IQ thing a while back but have forgotten to fill it in ;)
ANYWAY junctioning wasn't TOO hard, just steal a pile of magic, junction it to the best one, be able to steal MORE and BETTER magic, junction, steal ect...
This was a bit better then FF7 in that you could share magic, and keep magic - not to mention the variety you could have! FF7 limited you to the ammount of materia you could fit onto your weapons - and the best weapons were cr*p in this respect!! FF9 had you equiping rocks - also not nice, but I liked the way the skill STAYED this time, materia should have been like this, learning the skill and keeping it!

Customising the weapons - well noone can "customise" the weapons, you can upgrade it - the only way in 8, you can buy new ones, FF6 -, FF7&9? It wasn't too hard to get all the items - only if you didn't use an FAQ! Also you could use GF skills to get some ;P

FF7 didn't have a good storyline!
I am taking this as a quote from memory, from someone that posted it in a newsgroup "WOW, a man trying to get power by slamming a meteor into the Earth.... GREAT storyline! # /end sarcasm #"
I agree with him. The characters weren't explored in any great detail, the ending left only questions which couldn't be answered and left you missing something. Surely the only good thing about this storyline was the way Square implemented Clouds' phsyche (SP?) and where he get's droped into the Earth's living force (forgotten it's name) and has flashes to discover himself.
FF8 had a much better way where they were continually exploring Laguna's history, along with the whole "everybody fancies Squall" thing. I swear if I were in his position most of the female's in garden would have experienced JOY ;D ;D ;D
I'm not even going to START on 9... 3/6 was brillient!

1. The caterpiller thing wasn't in the others simply because they wanted to save space. It was actually much better because they didn't "dissapear" into one person (FF7).
2. I think you're confusing FF8 with 7 with the remark "super deformed characters" since FF7 had tall thin characters in some movies - short fat ones in others, even shorter and fatter ones in normal game play! THAT is deformed - at least FF8 had ones the same all the way through and had them "life-like". The reason YOU probably saw them strangly was because you have widescreen (probably).

FF8 has the best music of the whole series! I haven't played one yet with better music in it.

FF9 wasn't very good - I got up to the 3rd disc and got fed up just after getting to the mountain.
I did finish it in the end but I cheated (more! :D ) to do it!
RM2k made games aren't too bad I guess, I haven't played any yet (I've got it - just waiting till I can get some CD/RW's) but I will ASAP.

CT hit's FF7 to the bottom of the food chain! Then again FF8 kick's CT OFF the food chain!! :D

I'm not offended with you're remarks - I like arguing about this sorta stuff - just as long as the people KNOW what they're talking about! It's just the idiot's who say "FF... SUCKS!" without any explaining that get's my goat.

Vandal Hearts (I not II!)- I is great, another of my favorites. II is horrible IMO, especially compared to I and Shining Force! :)

I like FF7 but i found it to be very dissapointing for the way the people look. It might be because i played FF8 and FF8 and FF9 first but i still think the graphics could be a lot better. I dont like the way all of their hair changes and they get different heights in movies.
I thought that overall, FF7 is class for its length on the first disk and it has a lot of cool music and entertaining places to go but i think that it is equally as good as FF8 or maybe FF8 gets the edge because of its cool story and good characters.

I noticed you talked about Zelda, well i found that to be a very entertaining game. It has a good story, good characters, good music, and an incredible length, if you ask me it is a very good game. If you actually sat down and played the game Computer Whizz (i am assuming you havn't) then you will find it does have some very good qualities.

I will end by saying FF9 rules and if you really want to play some great games try playing Resident Evil's as well. I hope you all enjoyed reading this.

Well, I *can* see how people could percieve it to be the best RPG - but it's just that I don't...
The gameplay (for me) is based around the storyline alot, which FF8 had tonnes of, but FF9 didn't have any for me. I can also see how FF8 could be confusing to some, but it wasn't to me.

But then again I like a theme based around time - a person looking back on his/her past, or stuff like that. It is what *I* am terrified/interested about.
I might have this kind of theme later on in the series, but quite different to FF8.

Resident Evil is easily one of the best series of games in the WORLD! It's got a great storyline, great characters ('cept Carlos :) ) and alot of thought has been put into it ('cept RE:CV).

Dark Relm =
Thankyou for those suggestions... I'll take a look around the net and see if I can take a look at their battle/games systems!

I'm interested in what people think of as "good battle/game systems".
So anyone that wants to post a suggestion or two then please go ahead....

I am playing FF9 now and i have started a new game. I have gotten out of the evil forest in 58 minutes but it is getting harder.

I like the battle systems like FF9 and i like the way you trance better as well but the only thing about FF9 is that only Dagger and Eiko can summon. It should be more like FF7 where everyone can use all the materia.

The battle system in FFX is great. I have not actually played the game yet but my mate has just got it and i saw him playing it around his house for about half an hour and the graphics and battling system are just great.

I cant wait until 14th or is it 17th because thats when Metal Gear Solid 2 comes out, i cant wait. What coments do you have to make then computer Whizz :)

RPG king

The main thing that slows you down is the battles, second is all the dialog. I think all you lucky people over there in America ect.. with NTSC have faster text!

The FF7 materia view is my idea exactly - a kind of mix between FF9's learning (and keeping) the ability and FF7's materia, so you can teach them different things.

MGS2 - I'm not terribly over excited about it. Especially since I don't have a PS2! But MGS wasn't really too good IMO.

I have a PS2 but i got Smackdown Just Bring It and i dont have enough money to buy Resident Evil Code Veronica or enough money to buy MGS2. Why dont some of you give me some money :)

I cant wait to play both of them, anyway thats all i got to say for now.