Share your Final Fantasy Legacy

[LeonBlade]

With Final Fantasy XV coming out in just a few weeks, Square Enix invited fans, developers and special guests alike to share their stories on how Final Fantasy has impacted their lives. Much like the games in the series, each of us has our own story to tell, young and old, from all around the world. Tweet your story by using the hashtag #FFLegacies and share your story.

Check out the teaser for this upcoming video below

I'd like to open up the opportunity for all of us to share our own legacies in this thread. Talk about how you got into the series and what Final Fantasy has done to change your life. We all have our own story, let's share our love for the series together!

 

[Guitar (pseudo)God]

I was an awkward overweight 10-year-old as a scholarship kid at a rich private school. "Scholarship" was a fancy way of saying my family could not afford the tuition. So needless to say it wasn't a pleasant experience. But two of the kids that would talk to me were going on about a Final Fantasy II. So I begged my parents for a SNES and the game. No prizes for my schizophrenic father's reaction.

So after a solid summer of mowing lawns, I finally could buy both the system and the game. (Of course my father took 50% - the vig). Cecil's tale of redemption and forgiveness (remember, I was 10) and the fantastical world captivated me like no other. And I was hooked for life.

For Final Fantasy III (VI), I was no longer at the private school. Gaming was slightly more mainstream, though RPGs were still laughed at. But I could play a little ball and music, so my gaming proclivities were tolerated amongst the Heathers of the world. (To afford this game, I had to branch out into underage paper delivery and yard work.)

But, like for many, FFVII was the game changer. All of a sudden RPGs were mainstream. I was on my own and going to an engineering school studying CS. I still played ball, but damn near everybody in the AD had played the Squaresoft SNES classics. For me, I associated the game with my newfound freedom. The series was growing up with me.

As for the series since then:

FFVIII - This game came *so* close to being a masterpiece. But I still couldn't tell you to this day what the hell the sorceresses were on about.
FFIX - Cute, loved the series callbacks. The cast was fantastic, and the Active Time Events(?) were the best part of the game. The central narrative was a bit silly for me. And my God, the battles were S...L...O...W
FFX - This game had no right being as good as it was - it being the first voice acted of the series. I think the narrative and direction of the game were the most internally consistent and logical (for a FF game)
FFXII - Way before its time.
FFXIII - I really tried to like this game. But at least that Versus project looks cool. Hope it isn't as insane as Kingdom Hearts.
FFXV - Marriage, two startups, three kids, and 10 years later, here we are.

 

[Lulcielid]

Final Fantasy X was the first game I played that made me emotionally invested in it and was resposible for kicking my interest in gaming at full force, that´s all I need to say . Before that I used to see gaming as just a small past time.

Final Fantasy XIII and Final Fantasy Versus XIII was another factor that made me interested in the series growth even more, I was mindblowed back then when they were first revealed (and here I am 10 years after wating for the later to release)

Between 2006 and to this day I have been trying to invest as much as possible in this franchise but other good series (FF is still N°1 for me) where getting in my way of doing that (as well as money ).

A short but sweet text, I could have made it longer and more compelling but it would probably have ended up as a messy and not so cohesive text .

 

[The GemiKnight]

When I look back at how I got into the FF series, I’d have to say it had a lot to do with luck and maybe a little because I watched a lot of TV back then.

Anyway, during the late 90’s, I used to watch a show every Friday afternoon called Cybernet, which was my number one source for anything gaming related. In one particular episode, the show did a segment on FF VIII. Prior to this, and I realise this may seem surprising, I had never heard of Final Fantasy. I had no knowledge of the franchise but I remember watching the footage and being amazed by what I saw. My first thought was I had never played or seen a game like this in my life. It was literally the most incredible episode of Cybernet that I’ve ever watched. Afterwards, all I could think about was getting my hands on a copy. A couple of months later I did, and then it happened. I had a “Final Fantasy” moment. It happened during the opening cut scene. When I saw that Gunblade fall from the sky that was the moment that made me a FF fan for life. Aside from the awesome opening, other factors that added to my experience with VIII was the fact that I was following the story of characters who were close to the same age that I was at the time. To some extent, seeing these young characters overcome various challenges helped build my confidence during my teen years. Squall was also a character that I related to because I was very much a loner myself and much like how Squall changes and becomes a more trusting person over the course of the game, so too did I change and become a more open person as I grew up.

In the end, all I can say is that I am so happy to have discovered FF. I have enjoyed every experience with the series. FF is more than a game to me. It is a part of my life and I will always be grateful to Square Enix for creating so many unforgettable experiences.

 

[Rogue-Tomato]

I was my second year of high school (1998) when I went to a car boot sale with my Dad and while walking passed one of the stalls I found Final Fantasy VII which looked interesting. It was on sale for £9 (second hand).

He bought it for me, and it all started from there. I am now 30 years old, married, with my first child due next May and I have played every FF, more than once.