Last week's debate turned out pretty close considering each series has opposing goals, but there was plenty of Dtoid Army support on both sides. Here's are the racing results:
- Twisted Metal series (37 votes) -- Winner!
- Gran Turismo series (23 votes)
I've been noticing in the comments lately that some of you are wondering why on Azeroth some of these debates are being chosen. There's a simple answer and a complex one. The simple answer is not just that we've already covered many of your suggestions in previous debates over the past three years, but more importantly that the goal from day one has always been to step outside our comfort zones and tackle debates you wouldn't find on any and every other forum on the net. Doing this forces you to think less like a gamer and more like a game designer, which helps produce even more interesting discussions.
The complex answer is that -- not only as a game design graduate but also as just a guy who loves games and movies and all forms of entertainment -- it's my belief that any two works of art can be compared and contrasted with one another. Can we not compare the detailed works of Da Vinci with the abstract works of Picasso? Is it really impossible to talk about a comedy and horror movie in the same discussion by showing how a few film techniques from one genre could benefit the other? You can't tell me that you don't love songs by two drastically different bands, and often give thought to which group you like better if forced to choose. Why is it that we're more accepting of comparing paintings, music and movies to one another regardless of their complexities, timelines, and art styles, yet we're so resistant to comparing any two games to one another? Just some food for thought; feel free to poison my food in the comments.
Despite all of what I just wrote, I'm still a big fan of revisiting epic-scaled cliché debates each year to look back and see how opinions have changed as games/series continue to age and expand and stand or fall against the test of time. This week we have two of the most well known and highly praised series in the entire industry, and I'm eagerly awaiting the outcome.
Which series do you like better as a whole, and why? What aspects or individual games of the series made up your mind? Is your choice mainly due to support for that series, or your dislike of other series? Give it some serious thought, share your thought process with all of us, and then get some Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy gaming friends to join in on the fun.
New Bonus Questions! Hit the jump to see not one, but all of the bonus questions. From now on I'm going to try a slightly new format to encourage more discussion!
Let's try something new! Feel free to just skip all of this part, and only answer the debate as usual, but for the sake of even more discussion, each week I'll be posting multiple bonus questions. They'll be after the front page fold, and also posted as the first comment on each debate as a reminder. Again, this is just optional, but jump in and have fun exploring any/all of these reasons why you loved or hated each game/series!
BONUS QUESTIONS:
BQ1. What are you hoping to see in the future from the series you voted for? Feel free to get very detailed and long-winded!
BQ2. Who was your favorite character(s) in each series? Why?
BQ3. Who was your least favorite character(s) in each series. Why?
BQ4. What was your favorite item(s) in each series? Why?
BQ5. What was your least favorite item(s) in each series? Why?
BQ6. What was the moment(s) in each series that emotionally affected you the most?
BQ7. Which series had better music? Which songs stand out the most to you?
BQ8. What is your favorite level or environment in each series? Why?
BQ9. Pretend you were the creator of each series. What are some things you would have done differently?
SUBMIT YOUR OWN QUESTIONS:
Each week I will post what next week's debate will be, and allow you to all post your own "bonus questions" in the comments for next week's debate. I'll choose the best of the bunch (I can't catch' em all, this isn't Pokémon) and then we can get some serious feedback from all different gamer perspectives on not just each game/series, but also a few individual aspects of those games/series. Have something you're dying to know what other games thought of in the game or series? Post your question in the comments and find out what the response is!
NEXT WEEK'S DEBATE:
Halo series VS Half-Life series. Yes, Halo 3: ODST and Half-Life episodes are included. No, Counter-Strike and all other mods are not counted.
As usual, there's always an open door policy on suggesting future game debates in the comments. Don't be shy!
Contest:
10:45 PM on 10.20.2009
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BONUS QUESTIONS:
BQ1. What are you hoping to see in the future from the series you voted for? Feel free to get very detailed and long-winded!
BQ2. Who was your favorite character(s) in each series? Why?
BQ3. Who was your least favorite character(s) in each series. Why?
BQ4. What was your favorite item(s) in each series? Why?
BQ5. What was your least favorite item(s) in each series? Why?
BQ6. What was the moment(s) in each series that emotionally affected you the most?
BQ7. Which series had better music? Which songs stand out the most to you?
BQ8. What is your favorite level or environment in each series? Why?
BQ9. Pretend you were the creator of each series. What are some things you would have done differently?
NEXT WEEK'S DEBATE: Halo series VS Half-Life series. Yes, Halo 3: ODST and Half-Life episodes are included. No, Counter-Strike and all other mods are not counted.
What Bonus Questions would you like to see answered for next week's debate?
As usual, there's always an open door policy on suggesting future game debates in the comments. Don't be shy!
That said, I would have to say Zelda when comparing the series as a whole. There are just so many fun games, that change so drastically between the 2-D and 3-D incarnations.
Anyways, I vote for Zelda
Delete the above post if possible.
Delete above comment plox.
I'm having flashbacks of gamefaqs character contests all of a sudden. THis wont end well.
Honestly though, I have to go with Legend of Zelda. Because for that series, the gameplay always came before the story. FF I play through mostly to find out how the plot ends. LoZ I play because it's actually fun to explore around the world, find new stuff in unexplored caves, and defeat gigantic bosses while feeling like I'm doing more than just inputting commands for a separate entity. You really do become Link when playing, something that the Final Fantasy series - for all its strengths otherwise - hasn't been able to capture.
As for the bonus questions:
6. Obviously for FF, Aeris' death has to be included. It wasn't really the moment of her death though, it's fighting the boss afterwards with her character theme playing instead of the standard boss music. That dissonance just tore me up inside. That aside though, FFVI had one that made me bawl as well: watching Cyan's family board the Phantom Train. It was such a short scene, but very emotional to me.
As for Legend of Zelda, that would have to be at the end of OOT, where you defeat Ganon for the first time, and the whole castle collapses. I was just so happy to be out of that first fight and the escape sequence alive that I nearly shat bricks when Ganondorf was like "READY FOR ROUND TWO, BITCHES?".
APPLES TO ORANGES, FRONZ.
BQ1. What are you hoping to see in the future from the series you voted for? Better english dubs. Can I get an a-men?
BQ2. Who was your favorite character(s) in each series? Why?
Zelda: Epona - that bitch sure loves them carrots.
FF: Chocobos - them bitches sure love some... greens?
BQ3. Who was your least favorite character(s) in each series. Why?
Zelda: The wannabe Mario Piranha plants in Ocarina of Time
FF: Quistis in Final Fantasy 8. Bayonetta kinda reminds me of her now... but Quistis is more of the secretly horny librarian milf cougar type that... in the end... doesn't get the hankypanky.
BQ4. What was your favorite item(s) in each series? Why?
Zelda: That long ass fake-sword that you had to go off on a large tangent to achieve from the giant brown guy on that volcano mountain thing... only to find out that it BREAKS within two minutes of use.... i still loved it though.
FF: MATERIA. none of that "draw" crap from FF8
BQ5. What was your least favorite item(s) in each series? Why?
Zelda: the heavy iron/metal/lead boots that let you walk underwater but walk as slow as a granny in the carpool lane.
FF: Wakka's ball.
BQ6. What was the moment(s) in each series that emotionally affected you the most?
Zelda: Getting up on Epona and riding her hard. Also smacking her to make her go faster.
FF: in regards to FF7, everyone's gonna talk about Aerith's death. as for me, it has to be Biggs and Wedge and... the rest of them. what were their names?
BQ7. Which series had better music? Which songs stand out the most to you?
Zelda: Epona's theme.
BQ8. What is your favorite level or environment in each series? Why?
Zelda: back during the N64 days, the change from night to day was pretty epic.
FF: Don Cornelo's (whatever his name is) bitchin pimp pad when you had to dress in drag.
BQ9. Pretend you were the creator of each series. What are some things you would have done differently?
Zelda: add more masks in Majora's Mask
FF: bigger breasts on Tifa so that they become her primary weapons instead of her fists. Limit Break: Milk Gush
BQ1. What are you hoping to see in the future from the series you voted for? More of the same actually, but more old-school-ness added. I'm sick of not hearing the battle theme in the games. I wish it was just turn based combat again, if I want action rpgs I'll go to tri-ace haha
BQ2. Who was your favorite character(s) in each series? Why? Chocobos (no reason needed) and probably Zidane
BQ3. Who was your least favorite character(s) in each series. Why? I liked cloud, but he is also my least favorite because he is over hyped
BQ4. What was your favorite item(s) in each series? Why? Materia (I loved the system) and potions lol
BQ5. What was your least favorite item(s) in each series? Why? Dunno
BQ6. What was the moment(s) in each series that emotionally affected you the most? Aries dying (duh)
Getting the master sword the first time, or any puzzle beating on zelda excited me
BQ7. Which series had better music? Which songs stand out the most to you? Final Fantasy hands down. The scores are amazing, can't pick a favorite.
BQ8. What is your favorite level or environment in each series? Why?
I really liked the enviroments in FF8, they were beautiful for the time
BQ9. Pretend you were the creator of each series. What are some things you would have done differently? Remake FF7 and make shit tons of money. Zelda...add something new each one feels the exact same. FF tries to change some stuff around.
BQ3
My least favorite character in the Zelda series is Tingle. The why portion of the question is self-evident. By far, my least favorite character in FF was Wakka. He was loud, he looked stupid, his accent was obnoxious, and he knocked up a woman who was waaaaaay out of his league. Steiner is a distant, but still hated, second.
Final Fantasy is just a bunch of boring grinding. The game play is so repetitive and you've gotta be a masochist to want to suffer through that. Plus, Zelda has always been cutting edge in terms of graphics, story, game play, and controls. Maybe the only area that FF can hold a candle to Zelda is in terms of music, but Zelda still wins, in my opinion.
Bonus answers:
1. I hope that in the future, Zelda continues to give me multiple options of the storyline that they're following because as much as I love the traditional ones like Ocarina and Twilight Princess, I also love the ones like Majora's Mask and Wind Waker for being such bold re-imaginations of themes we already enjoy.
2. In Zelda, my favorite character would have to be the Happy Mask Shop Owner because he (I'm assuming it's a guy?) has this happy facade that just seems like they're something creepy about him. I don't like FF enough to like any of the characters
3. Least favorite Zelda character would easily be Navi from Ocarina. Though it is pretty funny when my friends and I randomly burst into saying "HEY!" and "LISTEN!" from time to time. In FF, it'd be all of the characters cause that series blows.
4. Favorite item in Zelda is the double Clawshots from Twilight Princess. Can't get any better than some Spider-Man action. And again, FF is bullshit.
5. Least favorite Zelda item is the absolutely useless Deku Nuts. They can stun things for a second. Useless.
6. In Twilight Princess when you're trying to save Midna's life by running to Zelda and the piano music is playing in the rain.
7. It's pretty close, but Zelda is still better. The standout songs are the piano theme from Twilight Princess, the music from the Lost Woods in Ocarina, Temple of Time music, Great Fairy music (title menu music in Twilight Princess). In FF, the battle music and the music in the towns in the 1st game are badass.
8. Favorite level - In Phantom Hourglass when you've gotta keep replaying that one section and getting further and further in, it's pretty badass. Also the puzzle in Twilight Princess just before opening the temple of time to get the master sword where when you jump, the statues jump in different directions.
There is absolutely nothing interesting about the level design of any Final Fantasy game.
9. If I was the creator of Zelda, I would have given the characters voices by now. Reading all that text is kind of out dated by now, but I feel that they'll never change since it's kind of become a staple of the games. If I was the creator of FF, I would have killed myself after I realized that my entire life's accomplishments consisted of remaking the same game 14 times.
BQ1. Less generic characters (especially the hero), less generic over-the-top action to look "cool." Also, Xbox.
BQ2. Of all the FF games, probably Cecil or Golbez from FF2. For a game so old, it was neat to see Cecil develop from a Dark Knight to a very selfless hero. Facing himself at Mount Ordeal is one of my favorite video game moments. Golbez is legit for spoilerific reasons. You hate him for so much of the game, though. Seeing him in character sprite form is the coolest.
BQ3. Probably Quistis from FF8. Useless. Wasn't a fan of Quinna either.
BQ4. Maybe the Atma Weapon from FF3. Legiiiiit
BQ7. It's close, but I like the FF music because each game had dozens of songs. Atma Weapon's music from FF3 is probably the all-time favorite amongst video games.
BQ9. I would have kept Basch as the main character of FF12 instead of creating Vaan. Then maybe that game's story wouldn't have sucked so much.
The environments in FFVIII really were amazing. That's part of the reason why I'm so excited about XIII, I see some similarities between the two stylistically.
BQ1. Okay, I'm just going to pitch this real simple: Legend of Zelda, directed by Eiji Aonuma with guidance from Shigeru Miyamoto, art design provided by Hayao Miyazaki, co-composed by Koji Kondo and Joe Hisaishi. Video games would be over.
BQ2. My favorite character is the Skull Kid from Majora's Mask! Such a moving little guy. Actually, you could replace Skull Kid with any character from Majora's Mask. So amazing. Any character from Majora's Mask or the cannon minigame roleplayer from Wind Waker. He so pringles.
For Final Fantasy, I'm going to say Balthier. My decision may not have the retro appeal, but really, you just can't do much better than that. He made that game's cast bearable.
BQ3. Least favorite character in Zelda? I want to lie and say Navi or Tingle, but truth be told, I have great affection for Navi and Tingle is hilarious.
Probably Ganon circa the Game Over screen of Zelda II. I will never forget that laugh. I heard it too many effing times.
For Final Fantasy? This was the easiest question yet. Vaan. Or mostly anyone from Final Fantasy VIII. I want to hit all of them.
BQ4. My favorite item is the hookshot in any game! It's still brilliant somehow! The grappling hook from Wind Waker comes in a close second. Can't get much more epic than that. Oh damn, what about the Bunny Hood from Majora's Mask? When it comes to pure mileage, I'm pretty sure that would be at the top of the list.
My favorite item in Final Fantasy is... uh... the phoenix down, I guess? This is why Zelda is blatantly better.
BQ5. My least favorite item in Zelda is probably the wicked looking armor you can earn in Twilight Princess. First, it runs on rupees (which is shit). And even if you do have a fat wallet, what the hell are you going to use it for? If you're like me, you had seen everything the game had to offer by the time you obtained it.
In Final Fantasy, it has to be the family of ethers. They're too damn expensive to be useful and you almost never find any on the field. You have to wonder why the developers even bothered.
BQ6. Oh my god. I love this question.
The theme of healing in Majora's Mask was driven home constantly. There is not one major moving moment in that game. There are dozens. Almost every Termina resident you come across has a tragic situation on their hands, whether it's personal or brought upon by the impending apocalypse. The opportunities for emotional catharsis in that game are numerous. And don't even get me started on that Song of Healing.
I can't leave Zelda without mentioning Wind Waker, though. The intro that tells of Hyrule's end? The first time you step foot in a Hyrule frozen in time? The finale, where Hyrule is finally laid to rest and you actually sympathize with Ganondorf, a character we had accepted as pure evil ever since inception? It's just too much. It almost makes all of the pompous, bloated plots of Final Fantasy seem trivial by comparison.
So that's why my favorite Final Fantasy moments aren't from the newer titles. Stuff like Palom and Porom sacrificing their lives, Celes almost committing suicide, and the entire opera scene? That stuff still hasn't been topped. I don't care about these incredibly artificial plots that are artificially injected with artificial characters to make me feel some sort of artificial emotion. Simple is best. The most moving moments of both Zelda and Final Fantasy can attest to that.
BQ7. Now this one is hard. I love the music of both franchises, but I think I'd have to tip the hat to Zelda again for the same reason as stated above. Simple works and I think Koji Kondo and the other composers who have worked on the Zelda titles realize that. Zelda may not always be bombastic, but it is always poignant. The Song of Healing, almost anything in Wind Waker, the Ocarina title theme... god, I could go on forever, but I have a feeling I'm creating a wall of text.
With regard to that sentiment, some Final Fantasy tunes fall on deaf ears with me. But others, like a lot of the more intimate tunes (Tifa, Aeris) of Final Fantasy VII, or powerful themes like Dancing Madly and One-Winged Angel, I love. I dunno, I don't have much to say here. I've thought about what makes Zelda so special to me a lot more than I've thought about Final Fantasy.
BQ8. Now this question is near impossible. I just can't choose one dungeon. I can't.
So I'll default to the one that probably left the greatest impression on me. The Shadow Temple freaked me the hell out and still gives me the creeps today.
For Final Fantasy... um, a lot like the Item question, I really can't say this applies much to Final Fantasy. It's not a series known for its amazing "levels." I'm going to say... Gold Saucer! Hooray. It's too bad I can't just talk about Chrono Trigger.
Aaaaaaaaaand I'm skipping question nine because I have nothing useful to say and I feel like people are staring.
I love both, however.
BONUS QUESTIONS:
BQ1. What are you hoping to see in the future from the series you voted for? Return to the medieval setting and no generic tetsuya nomura's design of characters
BQ2. Who was your favorite character(s) in each series? Why? Link I guess and Kain Highwind
BQ3. Who was your least favorite character(s) in each series. Why? Edward from FFIV, because was really useless
BQ4. What was your favorite item(s) in each series? Why? Elixir, because are really useful for repleting the HP and MP of your mages characters during the final Battles or agains a super boss.
BQ5. What was your least favorite item(s) in each series? Why?
BQ6. What was the moment(s) in each series that emotionally affected you the most?
BQ7. Which series had better music? Which songs stand out the most to you?
BQ8. What is your favorite level or environment in each series? Why? Ether, sometime were expensive and you can only regenerate 50 mp generally.
BQ9. Pretend you were the creator of each series. What are some things you would have done differently? I have to recognize that the zelda's game have really great gameplays, so the only thing that I will make different will be the story, I would like a more engagin story, but generally are good.
In FF is hard to say, but maybe some personalities from some characters.
I have to go with Final Fantasy though.
There were some good Zelda games, but FFVII stands as one of my top 5 games of all time... probably at #2.
Yeah, yeah... flame me for liking FFVII, I know it's cool to hate it these days, but I loved it when it actually came out, so... whatever.
The Final Fantasy music has always been better in quality, yet the Zelda music is terribly catchy. It is a hard choice there. I'd say in terms of variety and quality, FF has the better music. Dunno what bonus question that is, but it's the only one I'm answering.
Final Fantasy FTW
That said I have to credit Squenix for developing such a large and epic universe for their titles. They truly have defined what we expect from 3D JRPGs and rule #1 is have an interesting universe with atmosphere.
However I think the simplistic adventure gaming of Zelda is SO addictive and so much more inviting than FF. Plus I think Zelda has an equally deep universe with less emphasis on nooks and crannies.
At the end of the day Zelda takes for me but really I could go either way.
BQ1. From FF I'm honestly hoping for an Advent Children like game. Hate me all you want but AC completely fascinated me and really made me rethink how shit goes down in FF. From Zelda I really want to see a total shift in plot. I'll be the first to admit every Zelda has the same plot. I would like to see a Zelda that really fleshes out and embellishes.
BQ2. In FF my favorite character was Vincent Valentine because I wanna be like him when I grow up. In Zelda my favorite character is Midna because she was, in my opinion, the most interesting character I've ever seen the series produce.
BQ3. Least favorite FF character is all those bitches from FFX-2. I personally made it a priority to forget all their names. Sorry. Least favorite Zelda character is probably Zelda with the exception of Twilight Princess Zelda. She just kinda bores me. Like Princess Peach without the character.
BQ4. In FF Cloud's sword. It's just so fucking cool. In Zelda probably the Master Sword. I always feel so accomplished. Just a good feeling when I get it.
BQ5. Least favorite item in FF? Hmm...don't have one. It certainly has been a while. In Zelda it would definitely be the Wind Waker. But it wasn't bad per se. Just least favorite. Carrying around all those stupid bombs that magically attached to my arrows was a bitch too.
BQ6. In FF? If AC counts than that one epic battle between Tifa and what's his face affected me emotionally. It was just so beautifully done that that was the moment I felt like the series and me really connected. If we're talking about in the game than never. Sorry. In Zelda it was when the world got all fucked up in the end of Wind Waker. I had gotten so used to all the color and then everything just turned gray. It was really depressing.
BQ7. Gee this is a tough one. I have to give it to Zelda for Zelda's Lullaby but the FF victory song and One Winged Angel are damned epic.
BQ8. Cities. In both games. Cities are my favorite. I wish those cities got fleshed out because I love the architecture and feeling like I'm in some kind of mystic NYC. Twilight Princess and FFXIII specifically.
BQ9. If I were developing FF I would probably have centered every title around the FFVII universe. Not the characters so much but the events and locales. Just to make shit simpler. And if I were developing Zelda I would have consistency, a more interesting cast (with speech, yeah you heard me), and deeper plots.
I'm the most well versed person about either of these titles/genres but that's my two cents. Hopefully it's long enough that no one will read it and I won't have to fear the fans.
BQ1: I don't know what to expect from Final Fantasy, but I hope they really concentrate on writing and plot development for future games. Zelda needs a make-over in the worst way. They need to throw out a lot of the things they're recycling in every single Zelda storyline and start with something worthy but new.
BQ2: Tingle.
BQ3: Tingle. 'nuff said.
BQ6: FFX storyline in general probably involved me the most on an emotional level. Zelda has a bit more of an innocent feel over the course of the series, but playing through Windwaker just makes me happy.
BQ7: Zelda is inconsistent, but has more memorable anthems. FF series is better with general background/overworld music, but I'm not as fond of the major themes.
BQ1 - HD Zelda? A Final Fantasy game that isn't milked to death in sidestory BS...
BQ2 - Link, Terra (FFVI). Link from LTTP is my fav, and Final Fantasy VI is just my favorite FF game period.
BQ3 - Tingle. Cute jokes aside, he's a waste of space to the series that serves no purpose and his very existence has turned into it's own bad joke. For Final Fantasy... Cloud. I get it. He's emo about things. Aeris dies. Get over it.
BQ4 - Hookshot for being the most badass thing to change the way the Zelda series is played. Once the series went 3D, it blew my mind to use the Hookshot in my gameplay. Final Fantasy, the Ultimate Weapons in FFX. Seriously. Lulu's weapon requirements were freaking retarded and brilliant at the same time. I wish more games did punishing shit like this for such meager rewards.
BQ5 - The candle in the original Zelda. The red candle was a waste because I'm spending my time with that one flame and suddenly I get this massively better candle later in the game? What was the point of that shitty candle? Worst weapon in a FF game? Um... Anything that prevents Petrify? How often does that happen?
BQ6 - Playing the original Zelda had it's wow moments, but for Final Fantasy... The Opera House in FFVI.
BQ7 - Final Fantasy by far. The score for each Final Fantasy game is a character of it's own. As for Zelda, Ocarina of Time is the most memorable.
BQ8 - Link to the Past, the whole concept of flipping between worlds in that mirror was mind blowing at my then young age. It's still a pretty bad ass dynamic that isn't used enough in game design.
BQ9 - Shiggy? I would've left Nintendo and taken the series to Xbox or Playstation. Nintendo's letting the series go stale with recent console titles in favor of gimmicks to drive the title's sales.
Final Fantasy... I'd knock off milking each title for a billion spin offs and work on making the stories more focused and whole on their own. It really diminishes the "Final" aspect to the series to see a "Final Fantasy: XYZ 2 - Advent Adventure: MAXIMUM VERSION" and sit there and NOT know which game in the main series it originated from.
There is no continuance to them. Zelda for example, the way they are told, is like a word of mouth story. Lets take it back to ancient times. Each tribe of people have this same story, about a man-child, dressed in a green garb, who triumphs over adversity and saves the planet from the ultimate evil. So, where one tribe has him riding a train across Hyrule, another has him turning into a fucking wolf. But I think that's completely awesome. And each game keeps on getting better.
Overlooked though, is how Final Fantasy does the same thing. The best example is Final Fantasy VI and VII. Arguably the two most popular in the series, are really the same story. Group of insurgents rebel against the Government (Empire, Global Corporation) and in this battle reveals the ultimate evil that the rebels battle, and save the known world.
BQ1. What are you hoping to see in the future from the series you voted for? Feel free to get very detailed and long-winded!
Defiantly not a humanized master sword. That's going to have to be really well done to convince me. I really don't know what I would like to see next out of Zelda. I would really like to see it visually push the envelope of what the Wii can handle, but if it controls half as good as Twilight Princess, sign me up.
BQ2. Who was your favorite character(s) in each series? Why?
Link, clearly. He never questions his heroics... doesn't matter how big the boss is, or how complicated a dungeon is... he never gives up. The cracked out mail man from Twilight Princess was pretty funny as well.
In the Final Fantasy series, it's really hard to say. I would probably say Shadow from VI. Not for any real reason is that I am intrigued by him. I want to know more, and what his past is. Sure there's a few dream sequences, but that's just not enough. Plus Ninja's are cool.
BQ3. Who was your least favorite character(s) in each series. Why?
Nobody really bothered me in the Zelda series. Everyone was quirky in their own ways, that really makes me love the world I'm trying to save.
Yuffie pisses me off though. In all of Final Fantasy lore. Everything about her just annoys me. Not to the point that I would have her in my party just to intentionally kill her, but I would just never take her any where. It used to be Cait Sith, but after reading an article on this page defending him, I've decided to give him another shot.
BQ4. What was your favorite item(s) in each series? Why?
The Double Hookshot from Twilight Princess, or the bomb arrows. They're just two of the coolest weapons. I don't know what else to say about them.
In every Final Fantasy game, the ribbon is where it's at. I hate Status changing spells, so the ribbon is the one stop cure all. The ribbon is like a special magic spell condom,,, don't leave home without it.
BQ5. What was your least favorite item(s) in each series? Why?
I've never liked the different colored tunics that Link gets in the games. The green just IS Link.
Any "Cursed" Items in Final Fantasy. Just useless.
BQ6. What was the moment(s) in each series that emotionally affected you the most?
Sword in Gannon's face in Majora's Mask... just so hardcore that it took me back.
Final Fantasy. I would have to say the battle between Zak and the Shinra army at the end of Crisis Core. My eyes were fully widened and I knew who the biggest bad ass was, in that series.
BQ7. Which series had better music? Which songs stand out the most to you?
Defiantly Final Fantasy. I usually have a song from FF stuck in my head. No contest.
BQ8. What is your favorite level or environment in each series? Why?
Zelda's I usually like the desert dungeon's best. THey just always use the sand in such creative ways.
In Final Fantasy, the Phoenix Cave in FFVI. Either that or the floating contenent. They were both well designed, and also had a lot of emotions attached.
BQ9. Pretend you were the creator of each series. What are some things you would have done differently?
Nothing. They probably wouldn't have been as good.
Why? I find them far more engaging due to their writing, story and use of humor. Though FF VI was damn good.
/FLAME ON!
Granted, I'm sure a lot of people love them for that very reason. I, on the other hand, am starving for something new.
Bonus Question 9: If I was working on Zelda, I would put in more detailed and nuanced worlds (competing empires, bigger towns, etc.)
Next Week's Debate Bonus Question: What series had the more creative weapons set? (Basically, it's the variety of slightly unique alien weapons from Halo vs. the single, highly innovative, Gravity Gun)
That should have read:
Neither, I'm voting for the S.M.T. Series', specifically Persona.
Bonuses first:
1. For ZELDA: I'm hoping to see a bigger and more dynamic world with heavier contrasts on real human conditions, like hatred, true evil, love, beauty, war, tragedy, and everything else that comes from it wreaking havoc on a civilization. Less focus on spandex, more non-cheesy, mature relationship development between Link & Zelda and building on the steps they took to develop these characters individually in Twilight Princess. Lastly, stopping the need to re-acquire all weapons/items in every sequel, and eich dii grafix!
For FF: A return to the roots of the best character development in the series, as illustrated in FF6. Heroes that aren't created to fit the demographic's most-likely-to-relate age bracket. And stories that delve even deeper into the human condition. As deep as a great epic like The Odyssey or The Illiad.
2. Zelda: Link from Twilight Princess. He was the first to somewhat succeed in capturing the regular guy turned hero story with great attention to detail put in his pre-Link phase.
FF: Locke(FF6) He was the most admirable hero I've probably ever seen in a video game, and he was 15 or so years old than me when I played it, proving that kids don't need kid heroes. He was selfless, quirky, funny, suffered tragic loss which he punished himself for, and when put in the situation of risking his life to save someone else's, he always chose the noble route. His never-give-up-hope-in-others-and-himself attitude probably was the only thing that brought the world back from despair. Like a chainfire, it only took one person to be affected by it and it quickly spread.
Balthier from 12 is 2nd.
3. Zelda: That funky circus-act looking fairy dude. Seriously creepy looking and totally unnecessary.
FF: This is hard, there's not anyone in readily accessible memory that I can think of. Perhaps the cowboy looking dude who I can't remember his name from FF8, merely because he made such a little impact and unnecessary contribution to the plot.
4. Zelda: Epona, his horse if that counts.
FF: The actual Atma sword from FF6, which changed size depending on the player's life I believe.
6. FF: Funny thing is, it's not Aeris' death. It's actually the moment in the ending to FF9 when the shroud was thrown off heroically and not only was evil vanquished, but happiness ensued!
7. FF had better music imo. FF6 and 7 were tied. Narshe's music, the overworld music from 6, and quite a few from 7.
8. Zelda: Twilight Princess had my favorite world as a whole, the series itself seems to always be a retelling, so I'll just settle on deciding that TP had the best of everything.
FF: Probably Midgar of FF7 for it's depth and large scope. You really feel like you're right there living with them in the slums, though I still think there was much more area that could have been included, i.e. more sector's slums and upper regions.
9. Hard. Zelda: I would have definitly given Link and Zelda at least some sort of romance in TP.
FF: Not be afraid to go really deep into the serious adult-side of life.
Vote: Final Fantasy
Link has been a wonderful experience. Exploring the rich and beautiful Hyrule, saving the world many times, and finally getting to know a little more about Link has been very rewarding. Final Fantasy win out though based on it's deep relationship, character developments, music, and ultimately, providing a completely new epic to experience in every sequel, always leaving me wanting to know more about each world, and becoming emotionally attached to almost every charcter line-up. (Sans 11, which I actually pwned at, and had the best combat, but worst character development.)
In all fairness, I could have gone either way. But I'd most likely find myself playing a FF game than a Zelda game.
BQ1. Square Enix makes too many mediocre/disappointing games these days. I'd like to see games come out that are as good as the SNES/PS1 FF games. Also, The World Ends With You has a ton of flexible gameplay mechanics that I wish I could see in their main RPGs (setting difficulty levels to boost drop rates/exp, for example). I don't know why they got it right in that game and not in any others.
BQ2. The King from the Zelda CDi games! Honestly...maybe Zelda, as she became increasingly more badass as the series progressed. As for FF, I'd say Cecil, Rydia, Celes, Locke, Ramza, Quistis, Fujin, Beatrix, and Balthier.
BQ6. Zelda - Don't know. FF - Zack's death in Crisis Core. It pained me even more than Aeris' death.
BQ7. I refuse to say one series had "better" music than the other.
Zelda - Main Theme, Great Temple, OoT's title theme, Gerudo Valley, Dark World
FF - Red Wings, Zeromus final battle, Feel my Blade, Burmecian Kingdom, Protecting My Devotion, Antipyretic, FFT Battle on the Bridge, Tina, Blackjack, Searching for Friends, Dancing Mad, Price of Freedom, The Oath, The Silence before the Storm ... Yknow, I could name at least 30 or 40 more, easily.
And that's all I'll write, I guess. Final answer: Final Fantasy.
(it does have a lot of good hentai. just saying.)
1. I would like to see more zelda games on platforms than the handhelds.
2. Link for obvious reasons
3. Navi again for obvious reasons
4. Besides the master sword the heart containers for the fulfilment you revice after encountering one
5. the whistle in twilight, why couldn't i get it from the beginning?
6. Beating gannondorf in twilight and relizing no game i have played has touched any of the zeldaa games; that zelda was my favorite and in my opinion the best sereis
7. Zelda, overworld
8. let link ,not even jump, but hop on command
On the other hand, Final Fantasy actually got better as it aged, to a certain point, reaching a peak with the sixth (or seventh, depending on who you ask) entry, and coming close to that peak with the tenth as well. I haven't played all of them, but the only one I've tried that I didn't like was XII. The stories are fun to watch unfold, the characters are memorable (if sometimes cliche and contrived), and the music is always spot on. I'm a pretty casual FF player, but when I play, I love it.
Final Fantasy wins by a landslide.
The only Zelda game that would hold its own against a good FF game is LttP, but FFVI would still win that battle.
1. Well, I'd like to see another non-handheld game.
2. Zelda: That slutty, desert wench from Zelda:Ocarina of Time. She had a big nose, but still, she was hot.
Final Fantasy: Cyan, the honorable swordsman from FF VI. His back story was my favorite.
3. Zelda: Navi, of course
Final Fantasy: Everyone from FF X (except for Auron and Kimahri. That was one world that I wanted to be destroyed. I didn't finish the game so that in my head, those giant worms killed everyone.
4. Zelda: In terms of usefulness I'd have to say the bow and arrow, but in terms of fun, the hookshot all the way.
Final Fantasy: Magicite, summons and magic for everyone!
5. Zelda: Hmmm, all the items are pretty useful, I guess the hammer
Final Fantasy: Wakka's soccer balls, worst weapon ever!