I’ve played a fair number of them except the off shoots and am at the very end of 16 right now. The series has evolved in style and play over the years and many of the stories are drastically different. Depending on whether you like faster or more methodical combat; traditional fantasy, sci-fi, or even modern aesthetics influenced by fantastical elements; love stories or action each game scratches different niches and appeals to a different fan group. 1-3 are standard run-of-the -mill JRPGs. Tough as nails, generally unforgiving with simplistic story arcs. Unless you like grinding for the sake of grinding or very old school charm, I can’t in good conscience recommend them. The series was figuring out what it was. I played all three of them, and can’t remember much about any of them. Meh. 4 is fantasy driven. It’s the first real story told at a good pace. Very cliche in moments, but interesting and compelling characters. Turn based combat but no active time bar. Some difficulty spikes. Recommend. 5: I did not play. No idea. Meh. 6: the birth of FF as a storytelling powerhouse. Very nuanced story told over multiple viewpoints. Many consider this to be the best FF, but it’s the last “old school” sprite style main entry. A mix of techno and fantasy. A good spread of characters, and you can suplex a train. Highly recommend. 7: Solid. Pseudo sci-fi, fantasy, modernish mix. It was the birth of 3D RPGs. It was the first game with the ATB, so if you lose focus in fights you’ll die. Most fans have a higher opinion of this game than I feel it deserves. Cloud, Sepheroth, all that jazz. I like it. But have no desire to play it again. I haven’t played the remake and don’t find the characters or story compelling enough to try any time soon. Recommend. 8: One of my favorites. The red headed step child of the 7-9 portion of the series. More modern-esq with a flair or sci-fi and fantasy thrown in. Primarily a love story. Was derided due to the “junction system” which made you use magic more as a resource than as a class leverage. If you master the junction system the game is a blast. If you can’t figure it out it’s completely unplayable. It also has the best card game minigame. Period. I will die on the triple triad hill. Highly recommend. 9. Back to the fantasy roots, I love this one. A love story mixed in with a crises of identity, very corny. But charmingly so. Very well done crafting system for improving weapons. Armor has related skills that give permanent boosts if you take the time with each one. Music is awesome. Highly recommend. 10. The first of a new era. Kind of pseudo fantasy/modernesque. Primarily a romance. Combat is slower and more methodical. Leveling characters has a ton of flexibility so no one is pigeonholed into a class or style. Blitzball is a blast. Voice acting is terrible. This is the game from which the infamous laughing sequence came. Recommend. 11. Online game. Never played. Meh. 12. Very different from the others. More of a post modern mesh of fantasy and sci-fi that avoids steampunk trappings. Closer to realtime combat. It plays faster. The main character is the worst and the game even seems to know this. He literally spends one cutscene playing in the sand while the actual movers and shakers in the party come up with the plan. This game would be better if you could play as anyone else. Still solid. Recommend. 13. The most divisive. I loved it. But I understand the criticism. Basically the whole game is one long corridor. But why I loved it was the combat. You don’t control combat so much as guide it. You assign complementary roles for the characters and they will play through the fight as you set them up. You’re more like a conductor or a general than a player in some regards. But watching the magic happen as your people expertly dismantle hard foes is very satisfying. Highly recommend. 14. Didn’t play. Online game. Meh. 15. Heard it was good. Never played it. Supposedly a royal road trip. 16. Dark fantasy. Story hits hard. Very Game of Thrones. Main character is kind of boring but well voice acted. It’s compelling, quick paced, and the music is absolutely stunning. I’m enjoying it immensely. Highly recommend. Crystal chronicles: I second Aifos. Very well done. Delightful. And weirdly dark just below the surface. Highly recommend. FF Tactics: Shakespeare as a fantasy game. Everything about this game I love. Highly recommend.