Which FF: OVERALL Sense of Loss

[Aztec Triogal]

Obviously the goal of any good story is to convey emotions to the player. It doesn't ever matter where the characters go or who they meet if the player does not feel anything. One of the most common emotions conveyed is the sense of loss.

While I would have to say one scene that hit me more than most was the ending of Final Fantasy VII, the game itself does not convey loss as well as some others, in my opinion. I am not interested in which individual event you thought most traumatic and saddening but which game overall conveyed sadness and depression throughout.

My personal opinion of the saddest game is Final Fantasy X. You are lost and alone in an unfamiliar world. You are branded as an outcast as soon as you arrive in Spira and the game never lets you forget it. Because of this rejection, Tidus always has his mind on his home but even there sadness lurks. His home was broken and we was outcast there, as well. And at the very end of the game, when you finally think he is going to reconcile with his father and have a chance at a new life, you find that he has to give it all up. The only thing that subtracts from the depressing nature of the game is Tidus's upbeat, if not aloof, personality.

 

[Baks]

Probably one of the most saddest FF's is VI imo. Mainly cuz of:

1. Before you even you start the game, at least half of the world is under the control of Gesthal and Kefka's empire.

2. Right at the very start of the game you see Terra being controled against her will with a slave crown.

3. Kefka's attack on Figaro castle.

4. The posoining of Doma's water supply killing off Cyan's family and friends.

5. Cele's interrogation scene at South Figaro, that scene is just pure plain and nasty imo.

6. Kefka destruction of Narshe, a neutral town by the way.

7. A lot of the scenes with Shadow's memories, especially the World of Ruin ones.

8. Kefka killing General Leo.

9. Virtually all of the Rachel and Locke flahback scenes.

Nearly every character's life in VI has in way or another been effected by the evil of Kefka and Gesthal.

 

[Bambi]

I'd have to agree with X aswel, Tidus gets ripped out of his home, discovers Yuna will die at the final summoning, discovers HE is gunna fade when the Fayth stop dreaming, Auron gets himself sent ;_; I just think it was quite a tragic game really

Oh and IX aswel, there was a fair bit of sad moments in there, Garnet pretty much lost everything, her mother , her Kingdom.... Vivi found out he was a 'puppet' and knew that he would eventually stop- and had Black mages sacrifice themselves for him which was pretty sad and that other black mage in that village that knew it was gunna stop D:

And Kuja eventually realising his way was wrong and rescuing everyone in the Iifa tree, that was really sad D:

Although it DID have a happy ending, so Ima go with X. Even though sin was defeated there was still the feeling of 'loss' at the end, knowing thta Tidus had faded and Yuna was still pretty cut up, even though she had saved Spira

 

[Busta]

FFX is probably mine as wel for most of the reasons stated already, so I'll give FFV a stab.

FFV focuses somewhat on the past warriors who fought against Ex-Death 30 years ago and over time you find out that one by one the warriors back then have met their ultimate fate at some-point leading up to the game, bar Galuf who is in your party.

I take a look back at Reina and the losses she encounters in her family mainly, leaving her all alone until shefinally opens her heart to her new friends in the main party. Not sure how much of this I'm remembering well or not, but Bartz loses most of his family as well I think and is left alone, forced to make a life for his own at still a young age when his skills and personality is forming.

Although all these characters come out victorious in the end, their is sorrow, pain, and hardship along the way.

 

[Blitz]

Probably one of the most saddest FF's is VI imo. Mainly cuz of:

1. Before you even you start the game, at least half of the world is under the control of Gesthal and Kefka's empire.

2. Right at the very start of the game you see Terra being controled against her will with a slave crown.

3. Kefka's attack on Figaro castle.

4. The posoining of Doma's water supply killing off Cyan's family and friends.

5. Cele's interrogation scene at South Figaro, that scene is just pure plain and nasty imo.

6. Kefka destruction of Narshe, a neutral town by the way.

7. A lot of the scenes with Shadow's memories, especially the World of Ruin ones.

8. Kefka killing General Leo.

9. Virtually all of the Rachel and Locke flahback scenes.

Nearly every character's life in VI has in way or another been effected by the evil of Kefka and Gesthal.

I agree a lot with what you said. I think others may find it harder to FEEL that. You see with the newer games you get real symphonic sounding music, and beautifully rendered cut scenes with facial expressions. It is harder to get all that out of sprites on a screen. This is why I wish FFVI would get a chance at a 3D version full of cut scenes but keeping as true to the game play an story as it can. Plus I love that steam engine rough and dirty world that is presented in the game.

 

[Davey Gaga]

Hmm...a tough one.

VII - not really. Cloud and Tifa lose their home and Aerith loses her life - that's about the only "loss" that you can really consider. Arguably, Midgar has lost its freedom from an industrial power but that doesn't strike me as noticable.

VIII - nothing, really. They were all too young to remember losing anything and they all end up happy by the end.

IX - here we go. Garnet loses EVERYTHING that you could imagine, Vivi loses his individuality, Zidane loses his humanity, Brahne loses her mind, Steiner and Beatrix lose their purpose, Freya loses the love of her life and the whole world lose so much at the hands of the Black Mage invasions and by being attacked by Eidolons. You could even argue that Garland was burdened with the loss of his world. IX's definitely a big contender.

X - the other big contender. We have Tidus, who loses his home, twice, his father and his mother and is challenged with the loss of his only love. Yuna has lost both of her parents, is burdened with the loss of every life in Spira, loses her purpose when asked to marry Seymour (though only briefly) and, in the end, loses her Eidolons and Tidus, both of which were massive parts of her. Lulu and Wakka both lost Chappu; Lulu grieves over the death of Ginnem and Wakka just radiates this sense of sympathy. Auron loses his only two friends, his life. Rikku loses a great deal of her race, as does Kimahri, while he also loses what makes him a Ronso - his horn.

XII - you could mention Ashe and Basch but it all stops there, really. So XII comes third in my list.

IX would have to be second, while X takes the lead.

 

[Summoner Yuna]

Definitely FFX. It's one of the darkest games I've ever played despite the colorful locales. Tidus and Yuna, the main characters, lose what's most dear to them. But still there's a ray of hope in the ending. But still, the feeling of loss is there without a doubt.

 

[Guernsey]

I would have to say FFVI, I actually had a mixture of emotions when I played that even though I researched online, it still manages to surprise me when Kefka destroy the entire planet and it causes me to realize how many lives were killed off during the Apocalypse.

I hadn't really gotten that far FFVII so the only loss would be the lost Aerith.

 

[Dimix1]

Hmm...a tough one.

VII - not really. Cloud and Tifa lose their home and Aerith loses her life - that's about the only "loss" that you can really consider. Arguably, Midgar has lost its freedom from an industrial power but that doesn't strike me as noticable.

VIII - nothing, really. They were all too young to remember losing anything and they all end up happy by the end.

IX - here we go. Garnet loses EVERYTHING that you could imagine, Vivi loses his individuality, Zidane loses his humanity, Brahne loses her mind, Steiner and Beatrix lose their purpose, Freya loses the love of her life and the whole world lose so much at the hands of the Black Mage invasions and by being attacked by Eidolons. You could even argue that Garland was burdened with the loss of his world. IX's definitely a big contender.

X - the other big contender. We have Tidus, who loses his home, twice, his father and his mother and is challenged with the loss of his only love. Yuna has lost both of her parents, is burdened with the loss of every life in Spira, loses her purpose when asked to marry Seymour (though only briefly) and, in the end, loses her Eidolons and Tidus, both of which were massive parts of her. Lulu and Wakka both lost Chappu; Lulu grieves over the death of Ginnem and Wakka just radiates this sense of sympathy. Auron loses his only two friends, his life. Rikku loses a great deal of her race, as does Kimahri, while he also loses what makes him a Ronso - his horn.

XII - you could mention Ashe and Basch but it all stops there, really. So XII comes third in my list.

IX would have to be second, while X takes the lead.

What about Cloud thinking he was Zack for so long when infact he was only a footman soldier.. Or how they experimented on him and zack or the loss of there group Avalanche Biggs wedge and jesse?

Or the fact Sephiroth the same story as cloud sort of figures out his mum is a skitzo alien and now wants to destroy everything and take over the life stream? VII is the saddest game in my books

 

[Davey Gaga]

Cloud brought that upon himself, so there's no sympathy there from me. Also, I think you're confusing "a sense of loss" with "a sad story", because your mention of Cloud and Sephiroth hasn't addressed the loss of anything.