2. Final Fantasy VII
We've finally come to what is still the most popular game in the Final Fantasy series, FFVII. Even today, Square Enix are still trying to create an FF game that will be more popular than FFVII. FFVII was the first title in the series to use 3D characters and brought RPGs especially the FF series into the mainstream. Featuring the more typical ATB gauge system but with the inclusion of the Materia system to level up abilities. It's a competent system that allows players to choose which ability to use with whichever character they prefer. The best part is that the characters still maintain a sense of individuality in combat with their own special abilities. The game is also very open for exploration with a load of side-quests and mini-games to partake in. There are a lot of fun distractions in the game. The world of FFVII is a very vibrant one. The meat of the game, like many others, is the story. It's a very personal story of Cloud and his closest companions facing the might of not only Shinra, but also from Sephiroth and Jenova. FFVII is one of the few games where the sense of camaraderie between the characters is very evident, to the degree that they all depend on each other a lot. It's that very same reason that the most famous scene in the game, near the end of Disc 1, which we'll refer here as Aerith's defining moment, has such a big impact on the player. FFVII wasn't the first game nor FF to have such a scene, but it hit a lot of people hard. It doesn't help that Aerith was easy to like and that she had a beautiful music theme too. This develops further the more you learn about Cloud and his past too. It's a touching personal story about facing up to the truth and to adversity. It throws a lot into perspective and drives you to beat the final boss and beat the game. Few games deliver that feeling. Admittedly, the latter part of the game can drag on in terms of story-telling a bit, but the earlier content is just that good. It's the most popular FF game for good reason; it weaved a very memorable path.