Ranking (Mainline) Final Fantasy Games

Final Fantasy 6 - Checks off everything I look for in video gaming. I really enjoyed the story-based design filled with many charming unforgettable scenes. The massive ensemble cast miraculously manages to feel distinct at the individual level while driving an impactful cohesive plot. Everything is tied up in a neat package with steampunk visual style and masterful musical score perfectly complementing the game's central themes. A special experience for all fans of the genre.
Final Fantasy 8 - It took me a long time to come to terms with how much I really enjoyed FFVIII. While it is all too easy to isolate and nitpick its numerous flaws (the story that never quite made sense and the unconventional leveling system come to mind), its odd quirks, instead of detracting from the game, make for quite the unique and memorable experience. I was able to relate with the characters in an edgy teen way, the world was the most alive and immersive in the franchise, and the story, though wacky, contained several awesome moments.
Final Fantasy 9 - Underneath the charming, lighthearted, and humorous tone lies the deepest story and characters of the entire series, exploring themes of existentialism, purpose, war, and mortality which reonsated profoundly. Furthermore, the colorful game world and cutscenes are breath-takingly beautiful. And the ending is easily one of the most beautiful video game scenes of all time. There are no flaws I can think of, its spot in the upper echelon rankings are only a matter of arbitrary personal preference.
Final Fantasy 7 - The most popular entry in the franchise and rightfully so. Stylish world with immersive lore and awesome characters, paired with polished gameplay and a good mix of lighthearted humor, FFVII was a consistently high quality game all the way through. From a purely technical perspective, this game should land the top spot; however, I personally did not connect with the story as much as with VI and VIII, but rest assured the top 3 on this list are in an elite class of their own.
Final Fantasy 3 - I really did not expect to enjoy this game at all, much less to rank this highly. Ultimately, I fell for its lighthearted charm and straightforward NES-era formula tuned to perfection. Though lacking a substantial story, the dungeons are paced perfectly as classic tropes all make their rounds. The job system is highly addictive, making grinding not exactly fun but always worthwhile. The 3D remake also brings some personality to the characters.
Final Fantasy 13 - The first and only thing that comes to mind thinking back on FF13 is still how incredibly pretty the visuals were, which I attribute to its exceptional attention to stylistic cohesion. The art direction, flashy battle system, bright musical score all blend together to deliver a magical experience. I give a ton of credit for style, almost enough to overcome the nonsense story and gameplay monotony consisting of endless linear corridors. Still get chills when I hear “Blinded by Light.”
Final Fantasy 4 - I honestly cannot find anything to complain about with this game. FFIV is technically flawless. The narrative, though predictable, is well integrated into its fun, fast-paced gameplay. The pacing is tightly packed and streamlined, delivering a concise but consistently enjoyable experience. Compared to the future masterpieces in the franchise, however, this game can be a bit lacking in the drama or excitement department.
Final Fantasy 10 - FFX suffers from the classic PS2 era problem of attempting a fully realized 3-D world, forgoing the previous generation’s abstracted overworld but lacking the hardware to render truly immersive or expansive environments. This is enough to completely sour my opinion on FFX, through its own fault or not. This game also ties with FFXV for having the worst villain in the franchise, with counterintuitive behaviors and illogical motivations that are more esoteric than threatening. Main cast is likeable, battles are fun, world has its own distinct vibe, but wasn’t able to overcome its fatal flaws.
Final Fantasy 15 - Much like XIII, XV shamelessly optimizes for style over substance, but dropped the ball in several critical areas that I found unforgiveable. The world is beautiful but horribly unpopulated, characters had great individual interactions but the larger context was poorly executed at best and utter nonsense at worst. The game lacks cohesion and unfortunately comes off rushed and incomplete, especially last act. It does introduce some modern mechanics such as dynamic battles that could become staples of the series going forward, but sacrifices way too much of the core Final Fantasy experience.
Final Fantasy 5 - Admittedly a bit strange I am so fond of III yet did not enjoy V at all, which is typically considered a much-improved spiritual successor. Ultimately, I felt the job system was overengineered, the characters quite dull, the world map uninspired, and the pieces couldn't quite come together. My experience with the game was mostly defined by tedium as I trudged through its dungeons and overbearing mechanics.
Final Fantasy 12 - My biggest gripe with 12 is that it lacks motivation and direction. The battle system is also my least favorite in the entire franchise, goes on autopilot far too often and left me disengaged. Characters are cool and the lore is vast, but the story fails to utilize them in any meaningful way. The result is a forgettable experience that left me entirely uninvested in the story and bored by the gameplay, not a winning combination and left much to be desired.
Final Fantasy 2 - I did not find FFII nearly as bad as the community generally deems. Complaints surrounding the broken leveling system are justified, but the faulty mechanics can generally be ignored. Story mostly serves to stitch dungeons together but sprinkles in a few cool interactions by cycling characters in and out of your party. Overall impression is a workable game that experimented with some innovative ideas with mixed results.
Final Fantasy 1 - Even by modern standards, FFI is a capable and enjoyable JRPG, but not particularly noteworthy beyond a history lesson. Battles are too basic and no story give little motivation to endure the monotony.

Notable omissions include 11 and 14, because I have never played them (nor do I plan to). Considering my gaming habits lately, I tend to avoid video games that don't "end" so MMOs are off my radar.