Final Fantasy II

Combat is turnbased, with the usual setup with enemies on left side and party on the right side. This time classes don't level up with experience but with another method based on the actions and weapons used in combat. Character customization also includes equipment and magic. Also a new feature is the "back row" position, feature that usually allows the character to do/take less physical damage while increasing their ranged damage.

Unlike some modern rpg, there is a enjoyable world map with many dungeons and town with the addition of the chocobos as transport method. The encounters are random but that can be avoided with the chocobo.

The story is a bit more complex but we still find the typical infinite justice japanese heroes, so I didn't enjoy it much but it doesn't hurt as the interruptions are minor. At least this time the characters have names and more personality.

While is not the epic experience that started with FFIV (imo), it is an enjoyable game with addictive battles, that may feel a bit too easy right now. Music has some excellent tunes and graphically looked good at that time, I recomend the psp version now.

Did I like it? Yes.
I think you will like it if you:
- Are curious about the Final Fantasy beginings
- Don't hate jrpg

I rate my experience with a 7.5 out of 10.

Final Fantasy I

The saga start, featuring a nice world map with lots of exploration to do, finding dungeons, towns and random encounters and traveling with different vehicles.

Combats feature a pure turn based system, with enemies on one screen at the left and players on a different screen at the right side. This system was really fun though now feels very dated.

At the game's beginning the player can chooose the 4 heroes between a few classes, these classes are the final fantasy usuals and the choice is very welcome for me. Character evolve with the usual experience levels and customization is just about the different equipment.

The story is very light and characters generic, with no personality and not even a name. Of course this is forgivable on a game from 1987. Graphically looked simple but it has improved with the many re-releases, music has a few tunes that now have reached the epic status.

Did I like it? Yes.
I think you will like it if you:
- Are curious about the Final Fantasy beginings
- Don't hate jrpg

I rate my experience with a 6.5 out of 10.

Pokemon Part 2

It has some nice additions, better and colored graphics, new story, lots of new pokemon, new ways of exploration, pokemon can be equiped with one item and the game is really long. But of course it wasn't as suprising as the original.

Did I like it? Yes
I think you will like it if you:
- Like rpgs

I rate my experience with a 8 out of 10.

More things to do, better graphics but the same system and feels like nothing changed, I enjoyed it but It started to feel repetitive.

Did I like it? Yes
I think you will like it if you:
- Like rpgs

I rate my experience with a 7 out of 10.

The declive, I noticed that I wasn't having so much fun anymore and was forcing myself to finish it.

Did I like it? Yes, but got bored
I think you will like it if you:
- Like rpgs
- Aren't tired of pokemon

I rate my experience with a 6 out of 10.

I just coulnd't play for more than 6 hours, this game isn't fun nor challenging for me anymore :(

Did I like it? Nope
I think you will like it if you:
- Like rpgs
- Aren't tired of pokemon

I rate my experience with a 4 out of 10.

Not played and not gonna play it.

I may try it but I have no hopes.

Final Fantasy Adventure

A game that can remind to the (old) Zelda games on its looks and also to the Enix action rpg on its gameplay.

But in reallity this is the first game of the Seiken Densetsu saga, saga where Secret of Mana belongs, so we may find many gameplay and plot features that will be used on the later games.

The gameplay is real time action, focused on dungeons which contain the usual puzzles, enemies and treasures. Also there's some of exploration to do around too, the world map is big enough to contain a few towns and places to look. As curiosity, the player can kill the npcs in town... a thing we are only alowed to do on some western rpgs now (and probably with the same repercusion).

On the customization side we find the usual experience levels, parameters and equipment, etc. No complains here, it's a game from 1991.

The story is the usual Hero of light vs Dark plus saving the girl, at least the story involving the Mana Tree is apreciated as a Secret of Mana fan. Graphically looks nice for a Game boy, I can't remember about music quality, sorry!

Did I like it? Yes
I think you will like it if you:
- Are desperate to play old school jrpg

I rate my experience with a 7 out of 10.

Final Fantasy Tactics

To me this is an overrrated game, yes it is tactical and very fun but it has many lacks...

Challenge isn't very high plus I HATE random encounter on a game like this, because to me the battles are supposed to be long, strategic and epic. Having random encounters just trivializes the combats and become very generic and repetitive, plus having that "free grinding" can unbalance the entire game.

I appreciate the job variety, gives a lot of customization and choices though some classes suck a little :P.

The story is okay, with a few twists but I can't see what's so great about it, I aslo found characters boring.  Graphics: got nice sprites and music is correct.

Also I don't see the "Final Fantasy" anywhere, it should have been called Vagrant Tactics.

Did I like it? Yes
I think you will like it if you:
- Like srpg
- Don't expect Final Fantasy

I rate my experience with a 7.5 out of 10

Final Fantasy Tactics Advance

The start is really bad, I mean, that snow ball fight... but it is a great game, there aren't many additions but it is pretty entertaining. I think the story is worse than the original.

Did I like it? Yes
I think you will like it if you:
- Like srpg
- Can get through the start

I rate my experience with a 6.5 out of 10.

Final Fantasy Tactics A2

More of the same gameplay (which is good), new story and new implementations, fun enough.

Did I like it? Yes
I think you will like it if you:
- Like srpg

I rate my experience with a 7 out of 10

Final Fantasy IV

My first Final Fantasy and probably the first jrpg I've ever played by myself, I think I was like 7 years old and got up to the moon where I found a difficulty spike and quit it (of course I finished it years after).

Many things were new to me, a deep story and very charismatic characters, I started to learn english just to understand them ^^.

Combat is turn based with the active time battle system that gives a more dynamic behavior that makes the combats very interesting. Encounters are random of course.

There are many characters and with unique skills that gives the game the necessary variety to not make it repetitive. There's no customization aside form the equipment.

There are many places to visit, the usual shops, towns and even other worlds, though smaller than the main one. The game is not very long but is very intense and with many secrets to find.

It looks okay (the psp review is excellent) and to me this is where Uematsu career takes off because it has a lot of excellent melodies. I think this is the start of epicness on the saga.

Did I like it? Yeah!
I think yhou will like it if you:
- Like jrpg
- Don't mind random encounters

I rate my experience with a 9 out of 10.

Final Fantasy V

This is probably the less valued Final Fantasy game from Squaresoft's golden age, but for me is my 2nd favorite Final Fantasy and one of the best games I've played (always on my criteria, shoo!).

It has all the Final Fantasy elements: crystals, active time battle, random encounters, different worlds and travel methods, nice graphics, invocations, etc.

The music is awesome as usual, Clash on the big bridge and the main theme are amongst my favorite themes ever.

What makes this game one of my favorites is the Job system, being able to choose the characters class from a original and varied set of different classes with their own habilities which some of them can be shared with another classes.
 This gives a whole lot of different choices and party setups to try, these class possibilities are my favorite thing on a game because it means that there's a whole lot of different strategies and approaches on combats, and I love this!

I enjoyed the story too, some people say it is not as emotive as the other games but I don't remember any FF game with a very emotive story, intense yes but not emotive for me (objection! I still get moved by the song dedicated to Laguna).

Did I like it? Yes!
I think you will like it if you:
- Like jrpgs
- Stop comparisons

I rate my experience with a 9.5 out of 10.

Shining Force saga

Shining Force

Shining Force is (was) Sega's tactical rpg, it has little similarities to Fire Emblem like every unit being represented individually on the battle field, the combat screens showing the 2 involved characters and being able to promote the units.

But for the rest is a pretty different game, it doesn't rely on the rock-paper-scissors system and magic tends to be more powerful. Also turns are spread between the player and enemy units depending on their speed stat that gives this game a different combat style.

Battles are usually challenging and fun, outside battles there are little exploration areas with a Dragon Quest style which is cool, equipment customization is similar too.

I barely remember the story it was good but I did not like the characters too much, graphics are okay with that Camelot Software Planning touch.

Did I like it? It was okay.
I think you will like it if you:
- Like (old) tactical rpgs

I rate my experience with a 6 out of 10.

Shining Force CD

This is a compilation/remake of game gear's Shining force games, it includes a new campaign and new features. The concept is simplified a la Fire Emblem (dialog->foce setup->battle) but combat is entertaining as always and I had plenty of fun with this game.
Did I like it? Yes.
I think you will like it if you:
- Like (old) tactical rpgs

I rate my experience with a 7 out of 10.

Shining Force 2

A true improvement, I think this is where the saga takes off. Combat is even more entertaining, more unit types, weapons, abilities, powerful magics.

This time the story is very interesting and I liked the characters way more than before. It keeps the exploration features from the original.

Did I like it? Yes, awesome.
I think you will like it if you:
- Like tactical rpgs

I rate my experience with a 8.5 out of 10.

Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon

It's a gba remake of the first Shining Force which I enjoyed more than the original, it includes a few new features and new graphics.

Did I like it? Yes, awesome.
I think you will like it if you:
- Like tactical rpgs

I rate my experience with a 6.5 out of 10.

Shining Force 3

The definitive sequel, overall the game keeps the entire Shining Force spirit and increases the epic feeling, battles are bigger and fun, more powerful magics, tons of different units plus there are lots of hidden/optional characters to recruit.

I loved the characters and enjoyed the story a lot, though it is divided in 3 games that explain the events from 3 different points of view which can get a bit repetitive.

Did I like it? Yes, epic.
I think you will like it if you:
- Like tactical rpgs

I rate my experience with a 9.5 out of 10.