Nothing Final

I know nothing about Final Fantasy. Which game should i start with?

I want to start as early in the games as possible but not so far back that the game development is lacking. I have a ps2 btw if that changes anything. I would like to stay in the ps2 games but if i need to play a ps1 game or two to understand the game better thats ok i guess. Thanks a lot for any answers and please don't spoil anything for me in your answers.

Public Comments

1. The Most recent one. Final Fantasy games are relatively unconnected, but some of their spin-offs aren't. For example, the Numeral series (1-12) Are unconnected, but some like tactics, chocobo, and others are. So I'd recommend the latest one.
2. Any of them (With the exception of FFX-2) They are all different games, with a few similarities.
3. Final Fantasy VI. It's a beautiful game and is probably the best 2d one. Your PS2 is backwards compatible, so track down a copy of "Final Fantasy Anthology." That includes 5 and 6. Five suffers from bad translation though.
4. Since each Final Fantasy game in the series is a new adventure instead of a sequel (with some exceptions). As you have a PS2, the range of games available in the numbered series would be from FF VII (PS1) to XII (PS2). If you have a DS, you could practically go through all the numbered games as Square Enix are releasing the old games for the GBA & DS. However, I'll keep my suggestions within the PSx-range. Personally, I find Final Fantasy VII (PS1) as a good starting point as it's pretty much the first time the series started using Internationally Standardized numbering. It's also a great storyline. The downside is that copies of this game are still in the $80 range, despite its age. For more in the budget range ($20-$30), you'll have Final Fantasy XII to pass your time on. I cannot give Final Fantasy VIII (PS1) a great review as I found the salary system & the magic draw systems very frustrating. I do not suggest playing Final Fantasy XI (PS2) at all since that's the online-only game, which will cost you around $15 / month to play on top of the cost of the game & PS2 hardware. I hope that gives you an idea on what's out there & I hope you can enjoy the Final Fantasy series!