I've yet to read the entire thread, but I will and I'll edit my post when I'm done. However, this post caught my attention immediately:
Originally Posted by TheAbominatrix
Most people are annoyed by the fact that this is the one everyone is a slathering fanbody over, and that a great many have ignored the series before it. I think VI is by far the greatest game ever, and most certainly the greatest FF.
This really hits the nail on the head. I think FF7 may be a
little bit higher on my personal list of favorites then that of TheAbominatrix (it's either third or fourth, for the record ), but FF7 has, by far, the largest following of fanboys of any game ever made. Many of the players who weren't playing RPGs prior to the PS1 generation of consoles won't give the 2D titles a second look. Granted, the general population of users of these forums don't seem to be serious offenders in that respect, and on the other hand, there are a good many people who have played the majority of the games in the series, and yet still hold FF7 as their favorite, and that's fine. The title of "Best FF" is a subjective one - it's all a matter of individual opinion, and that's a point that has been reiterated dozens of times throughout the history of the boards and should go without saying at this point.
I won't lie and say I grew up playing the FF games. The first one I played was FF7 (and to make it worse, several years after it was initially released. In fact, it introduced me to RPGs like it did so many other gamers who currently enjoy the genre), but I still had no problem going back playing the older games. I've played them all, and finished them all besides 3j and 5j. My personal favorite is VI, and not because giving that answer solidifies one's position as a respectable veteran.
VII is a good game, but even though I feel it's a futile argument to make, I still must say it's truely the most overrated game in the series. I like it - I've played through it six times - but there were FF titles released prior to, and following, VII.
I also share the sentiments of many users that Sephy wasn't really that wonderful. He's somewhat cliche'd, and there are much more original villains out there (like FFVI's Kefka).
EDIT: Just finished reading most of the thread, and noticed that most of what I just said is support for arguments already established.
EDIT2:
Originally Posted by Destai
Would you say a lot of VI fans despise VII?
I feel that perhaps there are some FFVI fans that exaggerate the negativity of their opinion towards FF7 (whether it's a conscious action or not), out of annoyance at the fans who praise FF7 as the Great One. If that's the point that you're trying to make, then it's a good one.