#2: Final Fantasy VI

First off, for those who don't know how it works...

Final Fantasy 6 originally released in the United States as Final Fantasy 3.  This happened because FF2, 3, and 4 only released in Japan, so FF5 and FF6 released in the US as FF2 and FF3.  That's why the box art says Final Fantasy III.

So anyways, my favorite RPG of all time is Final Fantasy VI.

I can understand why people like other Final Fantasy's more and I have no problem with that.  However, when you compare FF6 to the other games mainstream games in the series, you realize that it avoids all of their slipups.  In doing that, it's become a perfect RPG.

• It doesn't have characters who battle exactly the same (FF7, FF8)
• It doesn't have whiny main characters who enrage you more than endear you (FF7, FF8, FF10, FF13)
• It has a battle system that's easy to pick up and doesn't require a manual to understand (FFT, FF12)
• It has a villain that you get to know and hate for the entire game (FF8, FF9, FF12, FFT)
• It has a plot that's down to Earth and respectful of Final Fantasy lore (FF7, FF8, FF10, FF13)

Final Fantasy 6 also has my favorite scene in all of video gaming.  The infamous opera scene.  One of your party's characters has to pose as an opera singer.  In order to do so, you have to memorize lines and blocking from the opera's notes and participate in the show on stage.  It's hilarious, heartwarming, and entirely original.  The opera scene is constantly listed as the best scene in gaming by top video game journalists.

FF6 has the greatest antagonist in any RPG, as well.  Kefka from Final Fantasy 6 is a perfect example of how to make you despise your foe.  For the first half of the game, you explore a world where people are generally happy.  Everything is good and friendly and most people seem to be ok with that.  At the halfway point, Kefka destroys most of the freaking world.  The second half of the game is spent questing through that world.  But, while you're questing, you're experiencing all of the carnage that this one man created.  By the end of the game, you want to get revenge on the guy who caused all of that suffering.  It's an impressive feat of conflict building for a video game.