IGN recently published an article on the evolution of Final Fantasy games. Which I'm glad they did, since I could never make sense of the series. Final Fantasy games have jumped platforms, technologies, storylines, even jumped to the big screen and back, and to the casual observer, they all look completely different. The IGN article helps sort out the whole thing, and I can finally say I have an understanding of why the series is popular.

(Not FF cosplay, though. I think I'll always have a hard time understanding cosplay... The best I've been able to resolve that particular phenomenon is with the equation "cosplay = (nerds - inhibitions) + fetish" ;-)

I honestly thought you meant "straight" as in "heterosexual". One of the frequent themes of the rants between me and one of my friends, both long-time fans of Final Fantasy (my fandom ended with VI, his continues) is that they've targeted it more and more towards the feminine mindset in the last five iterations and it makes it really hard to enjoy. Granted, the girl eye-candy is nice, but there's a huge difference between Edgar, Sabin, Cyan and Kefka (not counting Locke, I consider him the beginning of the end) and the likes of Cloud, Titus and Sephiroth. I just can't enjoy the games as much as I used to (probably because they don't seem to cut jokes as often as FFVI, my favorite in the series does).

I also thought this was somehow related with all the homoerotic content in the FFs...since 7 on the games have become an all-out gayfest of prettyboys and K-Y jelly. Honestly, I don't buy the whole "we are trying to get to the female market" hoopla, Square's should just give up and join the rainbow coallition already.

I've been intending to get into the FF series for a while now, but I've continuously put it off. I may just borrow the games off of my friend soon.

The guide was a good start too, I never got the whole FF engine and layout and whatnot.

I've enjoyed most of the FF series, but haven't gone past 9 because I won't pay to play it online and I don't have anything other than Windows to play it on. I still think I prefer the SNES versions.

I think it's worth to get a PS2 just to experience Final Fantasy X, it was (for me) the last truly great FF game. And now look at me, I'm a certified FF fan, and I still can't force myself to start playing FF XII. I guess FFX-2 simply destroyed it for me. And from what I heard, in FF XII they once again fool around with gameplay gimmicks and stop paying attention to story and characterization.

Play all of the series except X-2. The girls I knew who played the game, felt the game was for sissies.

It is.

...and all this ended in Final Fantasy X-2, in which Square simply said: "Who needs conflicts, who needs emotions, who needs deep characters, who needs a tight story line - we have three barely dressed girls, that's enough!". This is where I lost interest towards what was undeniably one of the greatest video game series of all times.

Dunno, have you played the ninth? It doesn't really go into that direction. The tenth is also much less so than the eighth (I know you hate that one).

I have played IX and I have to say... monkey boy is what I call lolito bishounen yaoi. Meaning "underaged-pretty-boy-homosexual".

I think what I enjoy the least about the Final Fantasy games, lately, is that they seem to emphasize either graphics and story over gameplay, or gameplay over story. They seem incapable of balancing the two. The last really good one that I enjoyed was FF6... To me, that's the right balance of "OMG DUNGEON CRAWL" and "OMG PLOTZ".

But Zidane is not homosexual. Don't you remember the famous scene where he pinched the princess' butt and said "Soft"? :-)

Though I seem to remember the english version had a somewhat distrubing conversation with Vivi where you weren't quite sure exactly what they were talking about... but it might have been penises... it might have been something else.

Still, Unicorn's right in that almost all of these final fantasy male characters have had a female love interest... and that's really the only measurement one has of sexuality: whom they're attracted to. The rest is just angry gamers.

Until now, I've encountered only one important character in a Japanese RPG who was homosexual: Jun from Persona 2: Innocent Sin. All the rest, including FF characters, might be effeminate, but surely not homosexual.

He.... you guys need to get out more!

Hey, what's wrong with the 8th?

The eighth is the most hated FF game ever. I think you and me are almost the only ones who like it.

I must admit though it took me 4 times to play to actually finally like FF 8. Its an acquired taste this one.

Amnesia, guardian forces, teen pretty-boy hysterics, J-pop songs... etc. etc. etc.

something about an orphanage, weird leveling system, obsession with cards.... though my knowledge is second hand and I've never actually tried to play the game myself.

maybe when the male characters are wearing less clothing than the female characters you would have a point.

anyway, here's a small list of "top 20" gay characters. No final fantasy. the only square character on the list is flea from that chrono trigger. but i never finished that game and i disagree with lots of the characters on the list being datable or even all that homosexual in style. slim pickings.

Adam, Hurry up and continue with your mission to buy titles to fill up the male version of the Bishoujo Games Group. That's what you originally came to the site to gather information about :P. Besides, probably at least one of those is an RPG.

And if not... well, just write a random value on a piece of paper and pretend it represents experince points. Change that number on any whim. :)

Joachim Valentine from Shadow Hearts 2 a gay? Please!!..

OK, this is what we're gonna do: Whenever anyone happens to wonder what my take is on a given subject, just feel free to go ahead and read what Zovni said about it; it's extremely likely that his opinion will reflect mine :D

Tidus (very yummy), Cloud and Sepiroth are the real reasons I've been enjoying these games. Very attractive main characters and since I'm going to be spending many hours playing with them and watching them on my screen, I am happy that they are so pleasant to look at. I did play Final Fantasy 1 and Final Fantasy 2 (cecil) earlier in my life, so I was having fun. but even with rainbow hair, cecil has nothing on these pretty heroes. of course "fighter" was kind of cute too, a man who can pull off a whole red outfit.

of course I'd still date Link.

I don't think you'd have success with Tidus or Cloud. They seem to prefer girls :)

As for Sephiroth... come to think of it - who knows?

If you like pretty-looking male protagonists, check out this game. The hero there positively has curves.

FF cosplay are the scourge of anime conventions everywhere. All those crossplaying Yunas makes my heart flutter and my stomach turn.

same girl?

If only it was a girl.